Borussia Dortmund needed a 95th-minute penalty from Emre Can to seal a 3-2 win over St. Pauli, after surrendering a two-goal cushion. The result kept Niko Kovac's team within eight points of Bayern Munich,
who visit RB Leipzig later on 17 January.
St. Pauli, bottom of the Bundesliga, had dragged themselves level with two second-half goals after trailing 2-0. Dortmund, who started the game with the league’s best clean-sheet record, again showed defensive issues after the interval but escaped with all three points in dramatic fashion.
The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time when Ricky-Jade Jones brought down Maximilian Beier inside the area. The referee pointed to the spot, and Can converted calmly, sending the home crowd into relief rather than celebration after a tense finale at Signal Iduna Park.
The contest had already seen one major penalty controversy in the first half. St. Pauli believed they had a spot-kick on 19 minutes for handball by Fabio Silva, but the VAR review led to the decision being overturned. That reprieve allowed Dortmund to stay level during a flat opening spell.
Gregor Kobel played a key role early on, blocking a close-range attempt from Mathias Pereira to keep the score goalless. Dortmund then struck just before half-time. Karim Adeyemi drove into space, Silva failed to connect with the cross, and Julian Brandt arrived behind to tap into an open goal.
Dortmund seemed in full control shortly after the restart. Adeyemi doubled the advantage, steering Silva's unselfish square pass into an empty net. That goal appeared to settle the contest, yet it instead sparked a St. Pauli response, as defensive concentration slipped and Kovac’s side lost their structure.
Borussia Dortmund vs St. Pauli fightback led by James Sands
The visitors pulled one back in the 62nd minute when James Sands rose above Can to meet Eric Smith's corner, directing a firm header past Kobel. St. Pauli’s captain then delivered again ten minutes later, crossing for substitute Jones, who volleyed confidently to bring the teams level at 2-2.
That equaliser rattled Dortmund, and St. Pauli briefly sensed a shock result despite creating little overall. However, Jones went from hero to culprit in the closing seconds, mistiming a challenge on Beier. The foul presented Can with the last-gasp opportunity that rescued Dortmund’s fragile advantage in the title race.
THE WEEKEND IS SAVED!!!! pic.twitter.com/PSVyoTaLgRBorussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) January 17, 2026
Borussia Dortmund vs St. Pauli data debrief and key figures
The underlying numbers underlined Dortmund’s dominance despite the late scare. Kovac’s players produced 3.09 expected goals, while St. Pauli managed only 0.54. That imbalance reflected sustained pressure from the hosts, who nevertheless failed to maintain control once the second half moved past the hour mark.
Dortmund came into the match with nine clean sheets, the most in the competition, yet conceded twice from limited chances. Kovac may be frustrated with those lapses, but Brandt offered a clear positive. The midfielder has now scored in four straight home league games for the first time in his Bundesliga career.
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