BERLIN: Werder Bremen’s hopes of returning to European football for the first time since 2010-11 took a hit after a scoreless home draw with St Pauli in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Bremen had won four in a row before Sunday’s match but failed to break through against St Pauli, who boast the third-best defensive record in the league this season after top two Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.

Bremen could have gone level on points with sixth-placed Borussia Dortmund with a victory and looked to have sealed it late when Oliver Burke scored on the 80th-minute mark, but the Scottish winger was narrowly offside.

St Pauli midfielder Connor Metcalfe was sent from the field in stoppage time after picking up two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.

The point leaves Bremen in eighth, two points away from the Europa Conference League ranking, while Pauli are now six points clear of the relegation playoff spot with three games remaining.

Earlier on Sunday, Bochum edged closer to relegation when they could only secure a 1-1 home draw against Union Berlin.

Both of Bochum’s relegation rivals Holstein Kiel and Heidenheim won this weekend, sending the hosts to the bottom of the table.

With three matches remaining, Bochum have just 21 points to their name, one fewer than Holstein Kiel and four behind Heidenheim who currently occupy the relegation play-off position.

Union took the lead when Benedict Hollerbach cut the ball through a crowded penalty area with 17 minutes gone for his ninth goal of the season.

Bochum hit back when Matus Bero tapped in the rebound of his own saved penalty in the 68th minute. Bochum held on despite late Union pressure to end a five-game losing run.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025