FC St. Pauli Triumphs 2-1 Over Heidenheim Despite Controversial Red Card

FC St. Pauli secured a vital 2:1 win against 1. FC Heidenheim in a Bundesliga match held at the sold-out Millerntor-Stadion, witnessed by 29,546 fans. Martijn Kaars emerged as the decisive player, scoring both of St. Pauli's goals in the 35th and 53rd minutes.

The victory was hard-fought as defender Eric Smith was controversially shown a red card shortly before halftime. Referee Sören Storks sent Smith off after a perceived last-man foul on Heidenheim’s Marvin Pieringer, who fell dramatically from a slight tug. St. Pauli’s Sport-Chef Andreas Bornemann strongly criticized the decision, calling it "only minimal contact" and questioned why the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene. Former referee Manuel Gräfe also labeled the red card a clear mistake.

Heidenheim’s Marvin Pieringer scored their sole goal in the 64th minute, but it was insufficient to alter the match outcome. Despite being a man down, St. Pauli's goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj praised the team's resilience, especially their second-half performance. This win marked St. Pauli's first after a series of nine losses and a draw, propelling them to 11 points and 16th place in the Bundesliga standings, narrowly ahead of Heidenheim.

Bornemann expressed concern about potential suspension impacts on Smith, notably in comparison to other Bundesliga disciplinary rulings, as the team braces for matches without the defender. Coach Alexander Blessin retained his lineup unchanged from the previous match, while Heidenheim introduced three new starters, but St. Pauli’s early pressure and strategic execution secured their crucial victory.