Dortmund Edge St Pauli In Five-Goal Bundesliga Thriller

Borussia Dortmund delivered a thrilling performance at Signal Iduna Park on January 17, 2026, edging out FC St. Pauli 3-2 in a Bundesliga contest that kept supporters on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. With the victory, Niko Kovač’s men extended their unbeaten run and maintained their pursuit of league leaders Bayern Munich, while St. Pauli’s struggles continued near the foot of the table.

Heading into the match, all eyes were on Dortmund’s recent form—six matches unbeaten across all competitions, a string of nine Bundesliga clean sheets, and a dominant 3-0 win over Werder Bremen just days earlier. The Black and Yellows, second in the league with 36 points from 17 games, were determined to keep the heat on Bayern, who sat 11 points clear at the top. St. Pauli, meanwhile, arrived in Dortmund with a depleted squad and a tough recent record: ten losses in their last 13 league outings, languishing in 17th place with only 12 points.

The confirmed lineups reflected each team’s situation. Dortmund’s starting XI featured Kobel in goal behind a back three of Can, Anton, and Schlotterbeck. The midfield comprised Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, and Svensson, with Adeyemi and Brandt supporting Silva up front. For St. Pauli, Vasilj started between the posts, protected by Dzwigala, Wahl, and Mets. Pyrka, Sands, Smith, and Ritzka patrolled the midfield, with Fujita slotting in behind the strike duo of Kaars and Pereira-Lage.

Dortmund coach Niko Kovač, despite his side’s favorite status, sounded a note of caution before kickoff. “I can remember the game in Hamburg. A team that defended compactly for 90 minutes. That’s impressive. It will take patience, commitment and intensity. We have to put pressure on our opponents from the first minute. It won’t be an easy game. But we want to get off to a good start in the second half of the season,” Kovač told RUHR24, recalling the 3-3 draw between these teams in the season’s first half.

As play got underway, Dortmund wasted little time asserting themselves. The home side’s early pressure paid off in the first half’s closing stages. Julian Brandt broke the deadlock with a crisp left-footed finish from the center of the box, slotting home after a clever cross from Karim Adeyemi. The goal sent the Signal Iduna Park crowd into raptures and gave Dortmund a deserved 1-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw the tempo ratchet up even further. Dortmund doubled their advantage on the counterattack: Fábio Silva burst forward and found Adeyemi, who finished with poise from the center of the box. At 2-0, it looked like smooth sailing for the hosts, but St. Pauli had other ideas.

The visitors, despite missing key players like Danel Sinani (calf injury), Jackson Irvine (foot injury), Connor Metcalfe (knock), Ricky-Jade Jones (who would later enter as a substitute), Simon Spari, David Nemeth, and Andreas Hountondji (broken ankle), dug deep to claw their way back. James Sands halved the deficit with a well-placed header from Eric Smith’s corner, breathing new life into the contest.

Moments later, St. Pauli’s resilience was rewarded again. Ricky-Jade Jones, having come off the bench, found himself in the right place at the right time, smashing home an equalizer from the center of the box after another pinpoint cross from Smith. Suddenly, Dortmund’s lead had evaporated, and the match hung in the balance at 2-2.

Dortmund, however, were not to be denied. As the clock wound down, substitute Maximilian Beier was brought down in the penalty area by Jones, and after a brief VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot. Emre Can stepped up under immense pressure and coolly converted the penalty, driving his right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. The Signal Iduna Park erupted—Dortmund were back in front, 3-2, with only stoppage time remaining.

The drama didn’t end there. St. Pauli threw everything forward in the dying moments, winning a flurry of corners and forcing Dortmund’s defense—and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel—into several key interventions. Kobel produced crucial saves, including a sharp stop from Jones’ right-footed effort and another from Joel Chima Fujita, helping preserve the slender lead as the fourth official signaled four minutes of added time.

Throughout the match, Dortmund’s defensive backbone was tested. Vice-captain Nico Schlotterbeck, fit and available after a string of strong performances, anchored the backline alongside Waldemar Anton and Emre Can. Jobe Bellingham, ever the midfield engine, contributed with his trademark ball-winning ability, adding to his impressive season tally of 51 tackles. Serhou Guirassy, who had just ended his goal drought in the previous fixture, came off the bench to provide fresh legs in attack, though he narrowly missed adding his name to the scoresheet with a shot that sailed high.

St. Pauli’s depleted squad, led by Alexander Blessin, showed grit despite their injury woes. Their tenacity nearly earned them a point, and the performance of Eric Smith—who provided two assists—stood out on a difficult afternoon. The visitors’ injury list was a who’s who of absentees, with Sinani, Irvine, Metcalfe, Jones (before his substitution), Spari, Nemeth, and Hountondji all unavailable due to various ailments.

Dortmund’s substitutions proved decisive, with Yan Couto, Serhou Guirassy, and Maximilian Beier all making an impact off the bench. Carney Chukwuemeka and Salih Özcan were also introduced late to help see out the result. For St. Pauli, substitutions included Louis Oppie, Tomoya Ando, and the influential Ricky-Jade Jones, who nearly turned the tide in his side’s favor.

With the final whistle, Dortmund celebrated a hard-fought 3-2 victory that showcased both their attacking prowess and their ability to dig deep when challenged. The win keeps them firmly in second place, still chasing Bayern Munich, while St. Pauli remain mired in the relegation zone, left to rue what might have been after a spirited comeback.

The Bundesliga campaign rolls on, with Dortmund’s faithful buoyed by another dramatic home win and St. Pauli searching for answers—and fitness—as the season’s second half unfolds.