In Rot-Weiss Essen’s third division game against SV Waldhof, football became a minor matter. After a firecracker was thrown from the Mannheim fan block, RWE keeper Felix Wienand was injured and had to go to hospital.
The sporting story behind the match between Rot-Weiss Essen and SV Waldhof Mannheim is quickly told: The Ruhrpottklub won 1-0 (1-0) with a goal from Marek Janssen (31st minute). However, the game turned into a farce after a firecracker was thrown from the Mannheim fan block towards the Essen penalty area in the 55th minute and detonated in the immediate vicinity of RWE keeper Felix Wienand.
Wienand was taken to hospital after lengthy treatment and the game was interrupted for almost 50 minutes. The game only continued after lengthy safety discussions and discussions with both coaches. Both teams continued to play after the break, but it had long since become clear that the result was only a minor matter. On the Kurpfälzer side, Terrence Boyd was finally sent off with a red card (65th) and made the “black evening” perfect for the guests.
SV Waldhof Mannheim went with the wind at its back the 2-1 home win against Alemannia Aachen last weekend in the game at Rot-Weiss Essen. The hosts were under pressure in the 3rd league promotion race after two recent defeats against direct competitors (Osnabrück and Rostock).
Uneventful first half hour
SVW had the advantage of the field at the start and had the first opportunity of the game. After a corner, Boyd didn’t head the ball onto the goal with enough pressure from a promising position (8th). RWE had its first chance in the 14th minute through Kaito Mizuta, but the Japanese shot just past the Mannheim goal from around 20 meters to the right. However, those were the only highlights of the first half hour – the level of the game up to that point was extremely manageable.
Marek Janssen breaks the spell
Essen took the lead in the 31st minute. After a long ball from Michael Schultz, Janssen Mannheim’s defender Niklas Hoffmann wobbled and then hit the far corner from a few meters in front of SVW keeper Thijmen Nijhuis to make it 1-0. A strong action from the RWE striker. And a lead that had become apparent, because as the game went on, the Westphalians took more and more control of the game, while SV Waldhof did very little offensively. At the break the hosts were narrowly in front.
Firecrackers from the Waldhof block injure Essen’s Felix Wienand
Essen got off to a better start in the second half. Janssen forced SVW goalkeeper Nijhuis to make a brilliant save after Marvin Obuz’s cross after 53 minutes. In the 55th minute the game was interrupted because a firecracker was first ignited and then thrown in the Waldhof fan block, which detonated on the lawn very close to Felix Wienand.
The RWE keeper immediately hurt his ear and subsequently had to be treated. Essen’s team doctor then ruled that Wienand was no longer fit to play. Both teams were then sent to the dressing rooms by referee Lennart Kernchen. The firecracker thrower from the Mannheim block is said to have been identified using video footage, but is on the run.
Terrence Boyd has to go down early
After an interruption of almost 50 minutes, the game finally continued after the game had been abandoned for a long time. From then on, the game was accompanied by shrill whistles whenever Mannheim had the ball. In the 65th minute, attacker Boyd was thrown off the field after hitting opponent Jannik Hofmann right in the face with a high leg and an open sole – a justifiable decision. A little later, Nijhuis made a brilliant save against Lucas Brumme to prevent Essen from making it 2-0 (70′). Other than that, not much else happened and it remained 1-0 for RWE in a bizarre match.
“Bangtrauma” near Wienand
However, the game will still have to be worked through and there will certainly be sanctions afterwards. Essen wrote in X about a “blow trauma” and an “acute stress reaction” in Wienand. “He’s really not feeling well. It’s about a player’s health, which was very deliberately put at risk,” said RWE coach Uwe Koschinat on “MagentaSport”: “We all hope that he doesn’t suffer any long-term damage. That’s definitely to be feared with such an action.” Mannheim’s sports director Mathias Schober also criticized: “That’s not appropriate, we’ll deal with it. I hope that those who are responsible for it will be held accountable.”
SV Waldhof now meets Havelse
After the narrow home win, Essen is now in fifth place in the 3rd league with 46 points, while SVW is ninth with 39 points. Both teams will continue next weekend. Rot-Weiss has to play against TSG Hoffenheim II on Saturday (March 7th, 2 p.m.). SV Waldhof Mannheim welcomes TSV Havelse one day later (March 8th, 1:30 p.m.).
