Rot-Weiss Essen scored a point in their last competitive game in 2022. On the 17th matchday of the 3rd division there was a 1:1 (0:0) draw at 1860 Munich.
With the seventh game in a row without defeat, RWE ended the year in 13th place in the table, six points above the relegation zone.
RWE went into the game in Munich with a change in the starting XI: Oguzhan Kefkir came on in place of Lawrence Ennali.
Munich game-determining, Tarnat hits the crossbar
The game began once again with an extensive pyrotechnics show in the Essen block, which, however, did not affect the game due to favorable wind conditions. The hosts determined the initial phase on the pitch and scored a first goal in the form of a long-range shot by Marius Wörl (6th). Albion Vrenezi also tried from distance in the 18th minute, but his shot was deflected decisively by José-Enrigue Rios-Alonso. Wörl was even more dangerous when he couldn’t get a low cross from close range into the goal (22′).
RWE stood low and lurked for counterattacks, but initially they didn’t pose a goal threat on the other side. Essen became really dangerous for the first time with a standard situation: Niklas Tarnat took a direct free kick from the left-hand position and hit the crossbar (37′). It was supposed to be the guests’ only dangerous shot on goal in the first round. The hosts, on the other hand, came in front of the Essen goal several times, but did not put RWE keeper Jakob Golz under pressure.
Vrenezi scores from the point
The second half also started with powerful “sixties” and a header chance from Fynn-Luca Lakenmacher (46′). Ten minutes later, however, RWE also became a threat when Felix Bastians’ header just missed the goal (55′). Björn Rother’s long-range shot, on the other hand, missed more clearly (62′). However, the hosts dominated the game, albeit without being able to create any compelling scoring chances against a good RWE defence.
Instead, the game dragged on for a long time until Christopher Lannert just missed the RWE goal with a shot from the second row (74′). Only a few seconds later there was a penalty for Munich after Stefan Lex fell in a duel with Rother. Vrenezi converted the following penalty safely to 1:0 (76th).
Bastians saves RWE the draw
In the final phase, RWE was once again all in front. A shot from 17 meters from Kevin Holzweiler went well over the goal (85th). Ennali failed from an acute angle to TSV goalkeeper Marco Hiller (87th). In added time, RWE managed to equalize after all when Bastians headed in a Tarnat free-kick into the penalty area into the opponent’s goal.
