Despite a strong performance, Rot-Weiss Essen lost to Energie Cottbus. The Lausitzers jump to first place with the win.
RWE lost 2:3 (0:1) on Sunday evening at the end of the 15th matchday and lost for the first time after six games without defeat. Tolcay Cigerci 13th, Justin Butler (51st) and Erik Engelhardt (69th) shot Cottbus to victory and the championship lead. Jannik Mause (61st) and Tom Moustier (88th) were successful for Essen.
Cigerci scores from the spot, Mause misses the equalizer
Due to the nationwide fan protests, the game began with twelve minutes of silence in both fan blocks. But even without loud support from their own supporters, RWE started powerfully and had an early header chance through Tobias Kraulich (3rd) and an overhead kick from Ahmet Arslan just missed the goal (8th). At the end of the twelve minutes of the fan protest, Cottbus was awarded a penalty after Moritz Hannemann was brought down by Michael Kostka. Cigerci converted the penalty to make it 1-0 for the guests (13th).
RWE did not allow themselves to be deterred by the surprising deficit and remained dominant in the game, but without becoming compelled in front of the goal. Things became more dangerous for Cottbus with two shots from Butler on the other side, which were saved by RWE keeper Jakob Golz (19th/21st). Essen, on the other hand, found themselves stuck in front of the energy penalty area, but came up with opportunities by chance.
A deflected cross from Lucas Brumme was extended by Arslan with his head and goalkeeper Marius Funk just steered it over the goal (30th). Funk was also there for a free kick from Brumme with a flying pass (40th). A minute and a half later, Mause should have made it 1-1, but shot wide of the goal in front of Funk (42′).
Mause responds to Butler’s solo goal
Even after the break, Essen’s pressure on Energie Cottbus’s goal remained high. When RWE had just established itself in the opponent’s penalty area, Cottbus ran an ice-cold counterattack via Butler, who appeared after a solo sprint over 70 meters in front of Golz and beat him to make it 2-0 (51st). Cigerci narrowly missed making it 3-0 with a shot from 18 meters in the 59th minute.
RWE did not give up despite the renewed setback. Coach Uwe Koschinat brought in three new people for the offensive: Jannik Hofmann, Marek Janssen and Ramien Safi (60th) and was promptly rewarded for it. Hofmann came into action in the 61st minute as an assist for Mause’s deserved first goal of the evening.
Engelhardt touches Essen’s heart
Afterwards, some crazy scenes took place in front of the Cottbus Gate. First, Funk parried another strong free kick from Brumme, then at the following corner he was quick to react twice against Klaus Gjasula and Marcos Rios-Alonso (64th). Hofmann’s attempt from distance went just over the crossbar (67′).
When everything pointed to the equalizer, Cottbus struck coldly again. Engelhardt scored in the 69th minute in one of the guests’ few attacks to make it 3-1. This goal then had an effect on the Essen team, who continued to attack but lacked their final determination. In addition, Cottbus was deep at the back and defended strongly.
Joker Moustier with the late one Connection hit
After a long period of idleness, substitute Moustier had a good header opportunity in the 87th minute, but aimed too high. Seconds later, Moustier came into action again, this time with a powerful shot from 18 meters that landed unstoppably in the goal to make it 2-3 (88th). Suddenly RWE and the home fans were wide awake again and threw everything forward again.
And the chances to equalize were there. When Franci Bouebari and Safi shot in stoppage time, either Funk or a defender got in the way (90+1). In the end, even six minutes of added time wasn’t enough for Essen to make it 3-3.
After the final whistle there were some unpleasant scenes on Hafenstrasse. First, cups flew towards the referees, then there were scuffles between the players of both teams.
Away in Saarbrücken
RWE continues next Saturday (November 29th/2 p.m.) with an away game at 1. FC Saarbrücken. Energie Cottbus welcomes Viktoria Cologne at the same time.
Sexist flyers cause a stir
In the run-up to the game, an issue had significantly dampened the mood at RWE: In the home game against Schweinfurt, flyers with sexist content were distributed among Essen’s hardcore fans. “No women in the first row” was read there, among other things – female fans should please be invisible on Hafenstrasse, according to the interpretation. Which caused great excitement and annoyance among the fans.
The club had positioned itself clearly in a public statement: “Rot-Weiss Essen expressly and unambiguously distances itself from all content mentioned on the flyer that contradicts the values of our club. Racist, sexist or other discriminatory attitudes have no place at Rot-Weiss Essen – neither in the stands nor anywhere else in the vicinity of our club,” wrote RWE.
Our sources:
- Game Rot-Weiss Essen against Energie Cottbus on November 23, 2025
