Dramatic Last-Minute Penalty Secures Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 Win Over St. Pauli

In a thrilling Bundesliga match on January 17, 2026, Borussia Dortmund edged past St. Pauli with a nail-biting 3-2 victory decided by a last-minute penalty. The Rückrunde opener at Dortmund saw an early commanding performance from the hosts, but a late comeback and a controversial ending kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Borussia Dortmund started strong with a goal from Julian Brandt set up by Karim Adeyemi just before halftime, leading 1-0 at the break. Adeyemi then doubled Dortmund's lead in the second half, making it 2-0. However, Dortmund experienced a brief collapse, conceding two goals to St. Pauli. James Sands scored from a corner, followed by a volley from Ricky-Jade Jones, who equalized the game at 2-2.

The intense match culminated in the 90+5 minute when VAR awarded Dortmund a penalty after Ricky-Jade Jones fouled Dortmund’s Maxi Beier during stoppage time. Emre Can calmly converted the penalty, securing the 3-2 win for Dortmund and sparking celebrations among the home crowd.

This victory marked Dortmund's accumulation of 7 points during the intense midweek fixtures. However, the match also spotlighted some concerns about Dortmund’s gameplay quality, with several players’ performances drawing criticism, despite the dramatic win.

For St. Pauli, this defeat was their second heartbreak in recent weeks, both occurring in stoppage time. With this loss, the Hamburg-based side found themselves at the bottom of the Bundesliga table for the first time since their promotion in 2024. Coach Alexander Blessin expressed the team's determination to fight on, saying, "This is a blow. You can't just brush it off," but reassured that the team would not give up.

Notably, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended the match, marking his first Bundesliga game in office. After receiving an award from the local bakers' association, he enjoyed the dramatic encounter amidst the charged stadium atmosphere.

St. Pauli now shifts focus to their upcoming pivotal match against HSV at Millerntor, hoping to bounce back from this narrow defeat. Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, will reflect on both the resilience and lapses displayed as they continue their campaign in the Bundesliga.