Axiety for couto
© Imago
Borussia Dortmund trembled to progress in the DFB Cup and awards awards in the district derby against Rot-Weiss Essen with a lot of effort. The team of coach Niko Kovac won 1-0 (0-0) in the evening with the third division club and was particularly able to thank Gregor Kobel with the outstanding goalkeeper.
In addition to goalkeeper giant Kobel, Serhou Guirassy won goal scorer Serhou Guirassy in front of 19,300 spectators in the stadium on Hafenstraße. The striker made a dry conclusion into the far corner (79th minute) for the decision in an emotional derby. Despite the progress, the BVB gave a sporty picture a few days before the start of the new Bundesliga season.
The summer-long football evening, at which fans in red and black and yellow ran through the city hours before kick-off, began in the sold-out stadium with a moment of silence. The two clubs reminded of the former world champion Frank Mill, who died two weeks at the age of 67. The Essener Mill had played for both clubs in his career.
BVB, at the beginning without Jobe Bellingham and Julian Brandt, got off to a better start. Initial attempts by Marcel Sabitzer (1st) and Felix Nmecha (3rd) were not a real challenge for Essen goalkeeper Jakob Golz. The outsider found better into play – fueled by the loudly home audience, which showed itself to the district derby in the best form.
Kobel roars BVB player
Differences between the third division club with a squad value of 7 million euros and the champions League club, which is peppered with stars, could not be identified for a long time. Several times the strong Ramien Safi broke through at speed and waned alone towards the BVB goal. Once, Waldemar Anton (23rd) clarified in the greatest need, once goalkeeper Gregor Kobel (41st) parried excellently.
The goalkeeper not only prevented the deficit several times, but also roared his forefenses loudly. A good six weeks after the respectable performance at the club World Cup against Real Madrid, the internationally ambitious BVB was hard to recognize-there was a threat of embarrassment in round one that the club last experienced in August 2005 at Eintracht Braunschweig.
BVB scorer Guirassy meets system change
At first, Kovac did not react during the break. Bellingham and Brandt warmed up, but only came into the game after a good hour. And food sensed his chance. “We are not the favorite – but ready to give everything,” the fans wrote on a banner – the players fully implemented it.
With the double change, Kovac also changed the system, which so far pale Guirassy was now the only tip. Shortly afterwards, Guirassy fell in the penalty area, but the short contact was far too little for referee Frank Willenborg. A sharply kicked free kick from Brandt (70th) landed on the outside network. Guirassy then brought BVB to the winning road with his dry shot to 1-0.
In added time, the fighting hosts approached the BVB goal again, but Kobel defused a shot from Tom Moustier. Seconds before the final whistle, BVB defender Yan Couto was hit badly by the substitute Essen Kelsey Owusu with a stretched leg and open sole on the knee. Couto bumped into pain and had to be brought off the pitch with a stretcher. There was only the yellow card for the red -worthy foul.
“I have to honestly say: You don’t go like this. I don’t want to assume any intentions, but that’s grossly negligent. I can’t leave that, actually that is an attack,” BVB coach Kovac ordered the scene. “I hope it didn’t happen too much. But he has severe pain. But I am confident that in the end it may only be a difficult bruise.”