46.
8:36 p.m
RWE kicks off and both teams come out of the dressing room without any personnel changes.
46.
8:34 p.m
Kick-off of the 2nd half
45.
20:21
Half-time conclusion:
In the top game between RW Essen and Energie Cottbus it is 0:1 at the break! In a wild and highly intense game, the home team got off to a better start. After the opening goal by Ciğerci (13th), who scored from the spot for the sixth time this season, the game turned around and Cottbus carried the momentum into the next few minutes. Before the break, Essen got stronger again and should have equalized through Mause (42nd), but he missed in front of the strong Funk. Energy jumps to the top of the Blitz table, but Red-White still has 45 minutes to change that.
45.
8:18 p.m
End of 1st half
45.
8:17 p.m
Addition time: 2 minutes are added.
45.
8:17 p.m
The game is just getting going and it’s going back and forth. Both teams lose the ball easily, which leads to many opportunities for transition.
42.
8:14 p.m
Mause misses the home team’s best chance! Ciğerci wastes the ball in midfield and Mizuata quickly switches. The Japanese sends Mause into a one-on-one with Funk, but the striker wants to be too precise and circles the ball just wide of the far corner.
40.
20:12
Funk prevents the equalizer! Campulka has his leg clearly too high against Müsel and causes a free kick directly in front of his own box. Brumme grabs the standard and circles the ball over the wall. The energy goalkeeper flies into the corner and punches the sharply kicked standard out of the corner.
37.
8:09 p.m
Obuz is released in the opponent’s box and the right winger finds Mizuta with his cross pass. But the Japanese doesn’t catch the ball properly and Funk is able to pick up the ball.
34.
8:07 p.m
Butler drives the ball over the left wing and then sends Borgmann, who is running behind, into the box. Neither Engelhardt nor Pelivan can do anything with the midfielder’s cross.
31.
8:01 p.m
Yellow card for José-Enrique Ríos-Alonso (Rot-Weiss Essen)
Ríos-Alonso stops a counterattack by the guests and receives the first warning of the game for his tactical foul.
30.
8:01 p.m
A deflected Brumme cross becomes a dangerous arc for the Cottbus keeper. Arslan extends the ball from close range and Funk is there with a strong reflex.
29.
8:00 p.m
Müsel heads a Brumme free kick onto the second post, but none of his teammates can get to the ball.
27.
19:59
The home team still lacks precision in the final third. That’s why RWE has rarely come out of the game dangerously in front of Funk’s box.
24.
19:56
The top game is still hotly contested and both teams give each other nothing in the duels. The guests have now taken more and more control of the game.
21.
19:53
The Cottbus team’s next shot and again it’s Butler: Kostka can’t clear a cross consistently and the ball falls at the striker’s feet. His right-footed shot is too central and doesn’t pose any major problems for the Essen goalkeeper.
19.
7:50 p.m
Butler again moves from the left into the box and tries a low shot from a tight angle that lands in Golz’s arms. Energy is getting better!
17.
7:49 p.m
Engelhardt finds Butler with a great diagonal ball in the penalty area. But the winger is not determined enough and tries to spoon the ball into the middle again. His cross finds the head of an Essen player who can clarify the situation.
16.
7:47 p.m
Upside down world in Essen: Uwe Koschinat’s team actually started the game much better, but now the guests are leading. How does the home team react to the deficit?
13.
19:44
Tooor for Energie Cottbus, 0:1 by Tolcay Ciğerci
Ciğerci stays cool from the spot and confidently converts into the bottom right corner. Golz had chosen the other corner.
12.
19:43
Penalty for Cottbus! Butler misses the ball in the opponent’s penalty area, but the ball ricochets to Hannemann, who is then unfairly knocked off his feet by Kostka.
10.
19:42
Arslan sends Mause on his way, who runs towards Funk alone. However, the striker started half a second too early and was whistled back.
8.
7:40 p.m
Arslan tries it artistically: After a deflected cross from Obuz, the ten-pointer attempts an overhead kick, but doesn’t catch the ball properly at the penalty spot.
5.
7:37 p.m
RWE presses in the opening minutes! A long throw-in from Brumme is cleared by central defender Manu for the home team to take the next corner.
3.
19:34
Brumme’s first corner comes dangerously in front of the box and finds Kraulich’s head. However, the central defender cannot extend the ball optimally and the chance is wasted.
1.
19:33
Martin Wilke releases the game and the guests toast. In cold, rainy weather, fans will be silent for the first twelve minutes, as they have been throughout the weekend, to protest against the planned reforms of the Conference of Interior Ministers.
1.
7:31 p.m
Game start
19:24
Last season, RWE emerged victorious in both meetings: In Cottbus, the Essen team won 1-0 and at home the Red-Whites even managed a 4-0 win. Back then, Ramien Safi scored twice, but today he’s just sitting on the bench. Can Uwe Koschinat’s team build on the results of the previous season?
7:08 p.m
Claus-Dieter Wollitz brings four new players into his starting line-up after the 1-0 defeat against Osnabrück: right-back Rorig is out. He is replaced by Straudi. Campulka is given preference over Awortwie-Grant. Ciğerci is allowed to replace Michelbrink in midfield from the start and Butler pushes Thiele to the bench in the attack.
19:02
Uwe Koschinat makes two changes to his starting lineup compared to the 2-1 win in Ingolstadt: Gjasula returns to the starting eleven in the double six and pushes Moustier to the bench. Potočnik is missing in the attack, which is why Mause makes his second start.
18:53
In view of the last results, RWE goes into the game as slight favorites: Uwe Koschinat’s team won three of the last four games before the international break and only drew against league leaders Duisburg. Energie lost its last two third division games, but is still level in the table with today’s opponents. Since leaders Duisburg lost on Friday, both teams could take the lead in the table with a win.
6:38 p.m
The top game in the third league is on Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. Both Rot-Weiß Essen and Energie Cottbus can theoretically take over the lead of the table on the 15th.