BERLIN (AP) — Elias Saad scored twice and set up another goal as Hamburg-based cult club St. Pauli claimed its first Bundesliga win for 13 years by 3-0 in Freiburg on Saturday.
Saad opened the scoring early, set up the next goal, then sealed the win when he surged past four Freiburg players on a counterattack in the 73rd minute, shortly after the home side had a goal ruled out through VAR for offside.
St. Pauli secured promotion as the second-division champion last season, returning to the top division for the first time since its relegation in 2011. It’s still known for its supporters’ left-wing stance and the pirate skull-and-crossbones emblem that was popularized by fans who identified as punks.
Germany forward Deniz Undav scored deep in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw for 10-man Stuttgart at Wolfsburg.
Tomas Cvancara scored just as late to give Borussia Mönchengladbach a 1-0 win over Union Berlin, dealing the visitor its first defeat of the season.
Heidenheim enjoyed a 2-0 win in Mainz, where both teams finished with 10 men, and Leipzig coasted to a 4-0 win over visiting Augsburg.
Defending champion Bayer Leverkusen was to face a stern test later at Bayern Munich, which was buoyant after starting the season with six high-scoring wins across all competitions and determined to reclaim German honors.
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