Karl Hein keeps clean sheet in Werder Bremen win over St. Pauli

Estonian national team goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein kept a clean sheet for Werder Bremen in its 1:0 home win against St. Pauli on Saturday.
The result was also Werder's first home win of the season so far.
The clash would have been the first time two or more Estonian players had faced each other at top European club level, but sadly St. Pauli defender and Estonian national team captain Karol Mets is out with a knee injury. A further Estonian connection came from the fact that the visitors also had on the bench ex-Paide Linnameeskond striker Abdoulie Ceesay (Gambia).
Hein, 23, had made his debut last weekend for Werder Bremen against the mighty Bayern Munich, going down 4:0 away despite the young Estonian giving a great account of himself; enough to make him starting 'keeper again while first-string player Mio Backhaus is still recovering from injury.
Werder took the lead in front of over 40,000 fans at the Weserstadion as early as the second minute, when after a good passing combination, Belgian winger Samuel Mbangula fired the ball low into the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Just a few minutes later, Hein stopped a one-on-one situation facing off against St. Pauli striker Mathias Pereira Lage, but for the most part the Estonian goalkeeper had much less work to do than in the previous match against Bayern Munich, standing out more for his role in being the genesis of Werder's attacks.
Five minutes before the end of regulation time, Australian forward Connor Metcalfe sent a good shot toward Hein's goal that went just wide. Hein did hurt his shoulder when diving for the ball and needed medical attention but played to the end and later punched away a cross.
With the win, Werder climbed into a cluster of five teams that have collected seven points and occupy places 8-12 in the table (Werder are 12th on goal difference). St. Pauli themselves are two places above Bremen despite the loss.
Hein is on a season-long loan from the English Premier League's Arsenal F.C. to Werder. He spent last season on loan to Spanish club Real Valladolid.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Kristjan Kallaste, Anders Nõmm










