Estonia national team captain Karol Mets scored his first-ever Bundesliga goal, but his side St. Pauli were denied victory late on in a 1-1 draw against 1. FC Köln.
The centre-back found the net in the 69th minute following a set-piece situation. After a corner, teammate Hauke Wahl headed the ball back across goal from the far post, where Mets was perfectly positioned to meet it and power a header past Köln goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe.
It was a landmark moment for the 32-year-old, as he became only the second Estonian to score in the Bundesliga after Ragnar Klavan, and also just the second Estonian to score in one of Europe’s top five leagues. The last to do so was Klavan, who scored for Liverpool against Burnley on January 1, 2018 in the Premier League.
Despite taking the lead, St. Pauli were unable to hold on to all three points, as Karol Mets conceded a foul in the 86th minute, allowing Gian-Luca Waldschmidt to convert from the penalty spot and level the match.
Mets, making his 21st Bundesliga appearance of the season, played the full 90 minutes. St. Pauli remain in a precarious position in the table, sitting 16th with 26 points after 30 matches. Köln, whom they faced in this match, are in 12th place, just five points ahead.
With four rounds remaining in the Bundesliga season, St. Pauli face a crucial fixture next Saturday away against bottom-placed Heidenheim.
