FC St. Pauli had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Arminia Bielefeld this weekend, despite clearly dominating the match under coach Marcel Rapp. The team missed another chance for a first season win and remains near the bottom of the 2. Bundesliga table with just three points from four games.
St. Pauli fell behind early in the 14th minute when Jannik Rochelt put Arminia ahead. Taichi Hara equalized for the visitors just six minutes later. After the break, Joel Grodowski scored for Bielefeld (51st minute), before Abdoulie Ceesay leveled again following an assist from Arkadiusz Pyrka. Goalkeeper Ben Voll and captain David Nemeth could not prevent the renewed concessions.
Why does the defense remain the biggest issue?
The statistics are clear. In five competitive matches this season, FC St. Pauli has now conceded nine goals. They have let in at least one goal in each of those five games. This is a burdensome series for a team that was relegated from the Bundesliga last season. Coach Marcel Rapp analyzed after the match: "We had decent control of the game, but created too few chances from that control."
The opposing goalscorer Jannik Rochelt also gave his assessment. "It was a good game from us. But we also had some moments where we weren't so alert at the back." This alertness was also missing from St. Pauli in decisive situations. The current standings show the consequence: 16th place with only two points from three games, and a goal difference of 4:5.
What is FC St. Pauli's league position?
The record after four matchdays is sobering. Three points, no wins. Arminia Bielefeld is slightly better off with four points. In the title race, St. Pauli is already seven points behind leaders 1. FC Nürnberg. The early season goal must now be stabilization to avoid a relegation battle. The team urgently needs more efficiency up front and more stability at the back.
A look at the player stats could provide insight here. The individual error rate must decrease. The upcoming games will show if Coach Rapp finds the right solutions. The next opportunity comes this Saturday.
What's next for St. Pauli?
FC St. Pauli hosts VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Wolfsburg currently sits in third place and represents a huge challenge. It is the next home game of the season and a chance to finally find their form in front of their own fans.
All upcoming matches can be tracked in our fixtures calendar. For the game against Wolfsburg, the defense around captain Nemeth must form a compact block. Goalkeeper Voll will be called upon again. The offense around goalscorer Ceesay must make better use of the few chances. A win against a top contender would be an important signal for the entire club.
The match at the Millerntor-Stadion kicks off at 8:30 PM.
