Bayer Leverkusen needed the magic touch of Alejandro Grimaldo to set up goals for Edmond Tapsoba and Ernest Poku and earn a 2-1 victory at St. Pauli on Saturday, maintaining their league-record unbeaten run on the road.
Spain international Grimaldo floated a free kick into the box, and Tapsoba pounced on a bad clearance to rifle in from close range for a 25th-minute lead.
Leverkusen, domestic double winners in 2024 and runners-up last season, have struggled for form so far, with new coach Kasper Hjulmand demanding more time.
The team went through a complete overhaul following the departure of more than half a dozen key players in the summer, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Granit Xhaka, as well as double-winning coach Xabi Alonso.
"We will build from here for sure," Hjulmand told a press conference. "Three points is the best accelerator for development. The team showed a super character and, at times, played well. But obviously we need to improve."
"We are trying to build this team. We had 75% new players in my first match, 75% new coaching staff. We want to build the team in the way we want to play. If you think this will happen overnight, you are wrong," he said.
The Dane saw his team stumble when St Pauli bounced back with Hauke Wahl later to level in the 32nd minute.
But Grimaldo delivered a perfectly-timed assist for the 21-year-old Poku in the 58th, and the Dutchman drilled the ball past keeper Nikola Vasilj to put them back in front.
Leverkusen, who face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, held on to the three points to stretch their undefeated run in away matches in the Bundesliga to 36, and climb to fourth on eight points, seven behind leaders Bayern Munich.