Energie Cottbus’ winning streak in the 3rd league comes to an end at 1860 Munich. The Lausitzers lost 3-0 there on Saturday afternoon. However, the game is overshadowed by racist hostility against Energie’s Justin Butler.
After five league wins in a row, Energie Cottbus has once again lost a game in the 3rd league. The Lausitz team lost their away game against the traditional club 1860 Munich on Saturday with 0:3 (0:2). The deserved defeat was overshadowed by racist hostility against Energies winger Justin Butler.
Energie Cottbus is eliminated from the cup against RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig was a lot too big for Energie Cottbus: the Lausitzers deserved to be eliminated on Tuesday evening and were clearly eliminated in the second round of the DFB Cup. The game was marred by a death.more
The course of the game
Not much happened in the first half between 1860 Munich and Energie Cottbus. It took until the 22nd minute before the hosts challenged Energies keeper Marius Funk more seriously for the first time with a flutter ball from distance. As a result, however, it was the Cottbusers who took control. The Lausitzers not only celebrated a corner festival in Munich, they also increasingly laid siege to their opponents’ penalty area. They only didn’t score a goal.
This took its toll on the other side of the lawn a little later. Energie’s striker Erik Engelhardt was unfortunate and impetuous during a tackle in his own penalty area and simply knocked over Munich’s Marvin Rittmüller. Thore Jacobson safely converted the penalty. But that wasn’t enough: It was also the captain of 1860 Munich who, deep in stoppage time in the first half – after a corner, of all things – made it 2-0 for the hosts.
Even in the second half, the Cottbus team barely found their way into their previously feared attacking game. The otherwise reliably productive offensive around Erik Engelhardt, Timmy Thiele and Tolcay Ciğerci hardly created any chances, let alone really dangerous shots on goal. Instead, a racist incident towards Justin Butler from Cottbus after a good 70 minutes caused a stir. An unfortunate own goal by Energies King Manu ensured the final score of 3-0.
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Monkey noises against Energies Justin Butler
In the 72nd minute, Energies Butler was moving along the touchline after an unreached pass when he suddenly turned towards the Munich crowd. “Justin told me that monkey noises could be heard,” said Cottbus captain Axel Borgmann after the end of the game, “and we as a team decided straight away that that wasn’t possible and told the referee that too.” There was then a heated discussion on the field – accompanied by a few flying beer cups – and the game was interrupted for around seven minutes.
While the fan was quickly found and led out of the stadium by stewards, large parts of the Munich audience expressed their solidarity with Butler. “It is the least that the fan was escorted out of the stadium,” said Borgmann and added: “It was important that we didn’t just continue playing, but that it was discussed.” The stadium announcer made an announcement about the racist incident and apologized to Butler on behalf of the club. As a result, in addition to loud whistles, chants of “Nazis out” also echoed through the Munich stadium.
However, the game continued afterwards. A fact for which energy coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz had little understanding after the end of the game: “We always talk, but
Nobody acts,” said Wollitz and added: “I said to the referee. ‘We accept defeat.’ He can stop the game to send a message.” However, according to Wollitz, the willingness to stop such a game is still lacking in professional football.
Discussions after the racism incident: The captains and referees | Image: IMAGO/Eibner
Player of the game
While the feared Cottbus offensive forces remained largely harmless, a Munich player discovered largely undreamt-of offensive power within himself: captain Thore Jacobson. The defensive midfielder was ice-cold from the penalty spot and demonstrated spatial interpretation skills before the 2-0 win. A clever sneak away into the weak spot of the Lausitz defense, a skillful chest attack, a shot like a ray. The double pack was perfect and the player of the game award was now well deserved.
Countable
- Energie’s defeat is the first after five league wins in a row
- For the first time in this third division season, Energie Cottbus did not score their own goal
- The Munich stadium on Grünwalder Straße was sold out with 15,000 fans
- The game was interrupted for around seven minutes after the racism incident
- Abandoning the game would have been only the third and final step in UEFA’s three-step plan to deal with racist incidents
The live ticker to read
Broadcast: rbb UM6, November 1st, 2025, 6 p.m
