By
SABC Sport
23rd February 2026
The Bundesliga clash at the Millerntor-Stadion remained goalless at the break, but three second-half goals condemned Werder to a third straight defeat and extended their winless run to 13 matches.
St. Pauli struck first in the 55th minute when Hauke Wahl powered home a header from a Danel Sinani assist. The goal came after a rare mistake from goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who allowed the effort to slip through his hands.
Werder responded quickly. Substitute Jovan Milosevic made it 1â-1 in the 62nd minute, finishing clinically shortly after coming on. It was the reaction Thioune had demanded, but the momentum did not last.
In the 70th minute, Joel Chima Fujita restored St. Pauli's lead with his first Bundesliga goal, converting from close range after an assist by Manolis Saliakas.
Friedl struggled to process the defeat.
"I often have the right words, but today I'm practically speechless because I couldn't have foreseen the game ending like this," he said. "We currently have absolutely no self-confidence and it shows."
The Werder captain defended Backhaus despite the costly error.
"When you make a mistake, it feels bad. Mio has played incredibly good games throughout the season and often saved us. These things happen."
Head coach Daniel Thioune also refused to single out his young goalkeeper.
"In a normal world, every goalkeeper saves that," Thioune admitted. "But no one is blaming Mio. If you don't get the reward for your efforts, you shouldn't be looking at the goalkeeper."
With Werder stuck in the bottom two and confidence at rock bottom, the pressure is rising. The visit of 1. FC Heidenheim next weekend already feels like a defining fixture in their fight for survival.
