Ernest Poku came off the bench to inspire Bayer Leverkusen to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The Dutch-Ghanaian winger was introduced in the 56th minute and made an almost immediate impact. Barely two minutes later, with the score tied at 1-1, Poku timed his run perfectly to collect a clever through ball from Alejandro Grimaldo before drilling a precise low strike into the bottom corner. His finish silenced the Millerntor-Stadion and sent the travelling Leverkusen supporters into raptures.
Leverkusen had earlier drawn first blood through Edmond Tapsoba’s 25th-minute opener, but the hosts hit back when Hauke Wahl equalised just before half-time. St. Pauli fought with intensity after the restart, yet they struggled to break down a well-organised Leverkusen defence.
Poku’s decisive cameo not only restored Leverkusen’s lead but also injected fresh energy into their attack, drawing praise from both manager and fans alike. The result keeps Leverkusen’s unbeaten league run intact and builds momentum ahead of their Champions League showdown with PSV Eindhoven on October 1.
