Friday night under the lights at St. Pauli delivered a classic Bundesliga thriller, as FC Cologne snatched a dramatic late 1-1 draw with a stoppage-time penalty.

The match was a hard-fought, end-to-end affair from the start. St. Pauli thought they had broken the deadlock earlier, only to see a goal-bound effort miraculously cleared off the line. Their persistence finally paid off in the 69th minute when Karol Mets rose highest to powerfully head home from a corner, sending the home crowd into raptures.

Just as it seemed the three points were secured for St. Pauli, the drama reached its peak deep into added time. Cologne's Jakub Kaminski went down under a challenge from Mets in the box, prompting a tense VAR review. The referee pointed to the spot, setting the stage for a nerve-wracking finale.

Cool as you like, Luca Waldschmidt stepped up and buried the penalty, sparking wild celebrations from the traveling Cologne fans and securing a precious point on the road. The result is a significant boost for Cologne, lifting them to 12th and creating a five-point cushion over St. Pauli, who now sit in the relegation playoff spot.

Elsewhere in the title race, all eyes turn to Bayern Munich, who can clinch the Meisterschale this weekend with a win over Stuttgart and if Borussia Dortmund stumble against Hoffenheim.