Borussia Dortmund squeeze past Rot-Weiss Essen to reach DFB Cup second round

Borussia Dortmund were made to work hard by third-tier Rot-Weiss Essen in the first round of the DFB Cup on Monday, but eventually prevailed with a 1-0 win.

Rot-Weiss Essen 0-1 Dortmund
Goal: 0-1 Guirassy (79')

The match appeared to be following a predictable script initially as Niko Kovač’s side dominated, with early chances for Marcel Sabitzer and Lukas Nmecha inside the first three minutes suggesting it would be a struggle for the home side.

However, Essen weathered the early BVB storm and grew into the game as the half wore on. Kaito Mizuta had their first threatening attempt on goal just after the half-hour mark but Gregor Kobel saved well.

They should have gone into the break 1-0 up after Ramien Safi was sent clean through on goal, only for Kobel to produce a vital save to keep the game goalless.

Dortmund were too static going forward early in the second half and Essen comfortably kept them at bay.

Kovač responded by bringing on Jobe Bellingham and Julian Brandt in an attempt to inject fresh impetus, and the latter soon went close with a free-kick that curled just the wrong side of the post.  

That was about as good as it got for Dortmund until the closing stages, when Serhou Guirassy decided the game after shrugging off his marker on the edge of the area and firing a low shot into the bottom corner to send BVB into the second round.

Match stats

• Dortmund's 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Club World Cup quarter-finals ended a 10-game winning run in all competitions.
• The Black-Yellows haven't lost to German opposition since a 2-0 reverse away to RB Leipzig on 15 March. They've since won seven and drawn one, only dropping points to Bayern Munich in a thrilling Klassiker.
• Guirassy has scored 14 times in his last 12 competitive appearances.
• Essen were the very first name on the DFB Cup, when it was relaunched for the 1952/53 season. They beat Alemannia Aachen 1-0 in the first post-war final.
• Dortmund, meanwhile, are five-time winners. Only Bayern (20) and Werder Bremen (six) have won the competition more often.
• The sides met in the DFB Cup first round twice before, with Dortmund winning 3-1 in 1982 and 2009. The latter featured Robert Kovač, Niko's brother and current assistant coach.

Teams

Essen: Golz - Rios Alonso (Müsel 83'), Schultz (c), Kraulich - Hofmann, Arslan (Obuz 76'), Gjasula (Owusu 87'), Brumme (Bouebari 75') - Moustier -  Safi (Martinovic 83'), Mizuta
Unused subs: Wienand, Kaiser, Swajkowski, Bazzoli
Out: Janssen (cruciate ligament), Kostka (thigh), Schulte-Kellinghaus (knee), Potocnik (muscle) 
Coach: Uwe Koschinat

Dortmund: Kobel (c) - Mané, Anton, Bensebaini - Couto, Groß (Bellingham 64'), Nmecha, Sabitzer (Özcan 90'+4), Svensson - Beier (Brandt 64'), Guirassy
Unused subs: Meyer, Reyna, Adeyemi, Campbell, Kabar, Lührs
Out: Can (adductor), Duranville (shoulder), Ryerson (calf), Schlotterbeck (knee), Süle (calf)
Coach: Niko Kovač

As it happened!

0 - 1

(0 - 0)

Essen

FINAL

Dortmund

DFB Pokal
First round First round Stadion an der Hafenstraße

Full-time: Essen 0-1 Dortmund

It wasn't impressive, but in the end, Dortmund have done enough thanks to a fantastic goal from Guirassy. Generally, the game was far more even than it should have been, and the Essen players will be somewhat disappointed that they couldn't at least take the game to extra time. Safi will still be thinking of his huge first-half opportunity when he goes to bed tonight.

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

Full-time

90'

+ 5

A horror tackle

Owusu flies in late and high on Couto in what is almost the last action of the game and picks up a yellow card. Couto is then stretchered off the pitch.

90'

+ 5

Yellow card

Kelsey Owusu

90'

+ 4

Substitution

Salih Özcan

Marcel Sabitzer

90'

+ 2

Essen want a penalty

Hofmann whips in a delightful cross to the back post, where Mané challenges Martinovic, perhaps making contact with the striker's head in the process. The referee waves play on, and Moustier tries one from distance, but Kobel again saves.

90'

Four minutes added on

Can Essen find a way back?

89'

A host of changes and not long left

The hosts have now made all of their changes, but they have yet to make an impact. There is just one minute of normal time remaining for an equaliser.

87'

Substitution

Kelsey Owusu

Klaus Gjasula

83'

Substitution

Torben Müsel

José-Enrique Rios Alonso

83'

Substitution

Dominik Martinovic

Ramien Safi

81'

Mizuta tries one

Mizuta tries to test Kobel once more, but yet again the shot is simple for the Swiss international.

Guirassy picks up where he left off

Who else? It just had to be Guirassy for Dortmund. Last season's top scorer receives the ball on the edge of the box from Bensebaini, rolls his man and whips a lovely finish into the far corner. Fantastic stuff!

© Christof Koepsel

79'

Serhou Guirassy

GOAL!

0:1

78'

Another comfortable save

Obuz, fresh on the pitch, tries an effort from the edge of the box, but it is easy for Kobel to deal with.

76'

Yellow card

Daniel Svensson

75'

Substitution

Franci Bouebari

Lucas Brumme

75'

Substitution

Marvin Obuz

Ahmet Arslan

Few clear-cut chances

Safi's first-half opportunity remains the best chance of the match so far.

© IMAGO/Malte Ossowski/SVEN SIMON

71'

Brandt hits the side-netting

Bellingham rolls his man and wins a free-kick right on the edge of the box. Brandt takes the resulting set-piece, hitting his effort with power, but only finding the side-netting.

69'

Still a bit slow from Dortmund

Still no breakthrough in this one, the visitors need to move the ball quicker to create chances. Sabitzer just put in a lovely cross, though, that was well dealt with by Golz.

A double change from the visitors

Kovač has seen enough and has decided it is time for fresh faces. Bellingham and Brandt enter the field for Beier and Groß.

© IMAGO/Maximilian Koch

64'

Substitution

Julian Brandt

Maximilian Beier

64'

Substitution

Jobe Bellingham

Pascal Groß

60'

Close

Essen battle to win yet another loose ball, with Brumme being sent through down the left, but he can't beat Couto with his cross. Should he have managed, he had two teammates waiting in the middle.

54'

Final pass lacking

Dortmund are once again controlling the ball, but that final pass is missing at the moment. The visitors have had plenty of crossing opportunities, but very few have found a player in the middle.

47'

Almost a chance

Guirassy, Groß and Nmecha combine well to try and create an opportunity, but Nmecha's shot is well blocked from inside the area.

46'

Back underway

Will either side make the breakthrough in the next 45 minutes?

Kick-off!

Half-time: Essen 0-0 Dortmund

It remains goalless at the break, but not for a lack of trying. Dortmund started the game brightly with a couple of shots, but Essen have increasingly grown into the game and had the best chance through Safi, who missed a golden chance when one-on-one with Kobel. The hosts will fancy their chances of an upset if things continue as they are.

© Christof Koepsel

Half-time

45'

One minute of added time

Still time for a goal?

41'

A huge opportunity!

That should be the opener for Essen. Safi is sent through one-on-one with Kobel, but can only fire the ball at the oncoming goalkeeper.

Great atmosphere, great game

The fans are certainly making themselves heard, and the football is matching the cracking atmosphere. Both sides are really giving this a go, and the game is becoming stretched as a result.

© IMAGO/Ralf Treese/DeFodi Images

36'

Dortmund fire back

Groß attempts to slide through Beier, but Golz gets there first. The keeper is then there again seconds late as Guirassy latches onto a loose ball to fire in a shot.

32'

Good effort

Essen are looking the better side in the last few minutes, and now Mizuta becomes the latest Rot-Weiss player to test Kobel. After a long throw, the ball falls to him on the edge of the box, and he hits it well, but Kobel can parry. The rebound is then headed narrowly wide by Rios Alonso, but he was offside anyway.

25'

More shots from the hosts

Essen are growing in confidence, firing two further shots on goal from range, but once more, the shots are unable to test the goalkeeper.

23'

Wonderful counter

Essen almost break through on the counter. Safi spins his man beautifully on halfway before trying to feed a teammate, but Anton stretches out an important leg to clear the ball for a corner.

19'

Better from Essen

The hosts are starting to grow in confidence and have now had their first shot on goal and are playing with a bit more controlled possession. Safi picks up the ball in the opposition half, charges forward and hits one, but it is simple for Kobel.

Mané makes his debut

After impressing in pre-season, Mané has been given the opportunity to make his first official Dortmund appearance.

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

14'

Guirassy almost gets in behind

Dortmund win the ball high up the pitch, with Groß trying to slip in Guirassy, but a covering Rios Alonso gets back at the last second to put the ball out for a corner.

9'

Dortmund controlling the play

Dortmund have struggled to create an opening since those early shots. The Essen players are working hard to deny the favourites any space, but Dortmund are dominating the ball.

3'

Dortmund hunting an early opener

The visitors are proving a real handful for third-tier Essen so far, as Nmecha strikes one from the edge of the box that Golz has to palm away.

1'

First shot already

Dortmund look to press high from the first kick, and that leads to a half-chance for Sabitzer, who volleys a bouncing ball goalwards from the edge of the box. The shot is comfortable for the goalkeeper.

Kick-off!

Players on the pitch

Kick-off is now just moments away, but first, there is a moment of silence for Frank Mill, who sadly passed away earlier this month. Mill represented both sides during his career and won the FIFA World Cup with West Germany in 1990.

Game faces on

Pascal Groß gets a feel for the pitch in Essen prior to kick-off.

© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl

More on that Dortmund team

A few things to unpack here, notably, Jobe Bellingham is only on the bench for Dortmund's season opener as Marcel Sabitzer starts. In defence, Julian Ryerson misses out through injury, and with Dortmund's other defensive absences, that means both Yan Couto and youngster Filippo Mané come into the starting XI.

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

Essen starting XI

Golz - Rios Alonso, Schultz (c), Kraulich - Hofmann, Arslan, Gjasula, Brumme - Moustier -  Safi, Mizuta

Essen subs

Wienand, Bouebari, Kaiser, Swajkowski, Bazzoli, Müsel, Owusu, Martinovic, Obuz

Dortmund starting XI

Kobel (c) - Mané, Anton, Bensebaini - Couto, Groß, Nmecha, Sabitzer, Svensson - Guirassy, Beier.

Dortmund subs

Meyer, Özcan, Bellingham, Brandt, Reyna, Adeyemi, Campbell, Kabar, Lührs

An unwanted record

When these two sides last met in 2008, in what was Jürgen Klopp's first game as Dortmund coach, the game ended 3-1 to Dortmund, but many of the headlines were stolen that day by a lesser-known Kosovar. Bajram Sadrijaj was brought on for Giovanni Federico in the 71st minute of the game, in what was his debut. Unfortunately for the youngster, that debut lasted just 12 seconds as he picked up a straight red card for a forceful challenge. At the time, that was a record for the fastest red card.

© imago sportfotodienst

Sébastien Haller leaves Dortmund

Team news is not yet in for tonight's fixture, but one player that certainly won't be featuring is Ivorian striker Haller. The 31-year-old spent last campaign out on loan, first at Leganés in Spain and then at FC Utrecht in the Netherlands, and the striker has now agreed to join the latter on a permanent basis. The move will be Haller's third spell at Utrecht. During his time at Dortmund, he scored 12 goals in 41 games.

© IMAGO/Rene Nijhuis/MB Media

Dortmund have a strong record against amateur sides

Dortmund have only lost twice to sides outside the top two divisions since 2001, and those defeats came in back-to-back seasons. The first defeat came in the 2009/10 season when BVB came unstuck against third-tier VfL Osnabrück in the round of 16, losing 3-2. The following season, Dortmund again lost to amateur opposition; on that occasion, it was a 4-2 loss on penalties against third-tier Offenbacher Kickers after the game had finished 0-0.

Essen on the up?

Despite starting the current third division campaign with two draws, Essen have been in fine form over the last half a year. After a dreadful first half of last season, where Essen were sat in 19th after 20 matchdays, new coach Uwe Koschinat turned that form around to finish eighth. Only champions Arminia Bielefeld collected more points in the second half of the campaign, as Rot-Weiss picked up 39 points from a possible 54.

Essen's most recent cup runs

The hosts have only made it past the first round once since 2012. That was during the 2020/21 season when Essen made it all the way to the quarter-final. That was also the season Dortmund most recently won the competition. That 20/21 run from Essen was the furthest the club had made it in the competition since reaching the final during the 1993/94 season, where they lost 3-1 to Werder Bremen.

Both sides are cup winners

Dortmund have won the DFB Cup five times in their history, including most recently in 2021. Essen, meanwhile, last won the competition back in 1953.

© TimGroothuis via TEAM2sportphoto/Groothuis/Witters/Pool/Witters

Dortmund unbeaten against Essen since 1972

The weight of history is very much against the third-division side, as they last beat Dortmund in 1972. Since then, the two sides have only met 10 times, and Dortmund have won seven of those games.

Dortmund strong in cup openers

BVB have not lost in the opening round of the DFB Cup since 2005, when Dortmund lost 2-1 to Eintracht Braunschweig.

How will Dortmund line up at the back?

The injury to Süle last weekend has obviously left Dortmund short for their standard five-back defence. Yan Couto replaced Süle against Juventus, but youngster Filippo Mané has been given plenty of praise for his pre-season performances. It is likely one of the two will make the starting XI against Essen.

© IMAGO/Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images

2:42

Will Guirassy find the net?

He was Dortmund's top scorer in 2024/25 - check out all of his Bundesliga goals last season right here!

Kovac on Rot-Weiss Essen

"They already have two games under their belts, which is always an advantage. However, we're the Bundesliga side and need to win the tie. We're the ones who need to play our game and deliver a performance. We can't afford to play at 95 percent - we have to be at 100 percent."

© IMAGO

Niko Kovač on BVB's cup chances

"As a player and coach, you always want to win trophies. The cup is a very interesting competition, and everyone who has managed to play in a cup final knows it's a special experience. We want to reach the final. Six wins and you've got your hands on the cup."

© IMAGO/Marco Bader

Another 3-1 win?

These two teams have faced each other twice before in the DFB Cup first round, with Dortmund emerging 3-1 winners on both occasions. Manfred Burgsmüller scored twice in a comfortable BVB victory in 1982/83, while Jürgen Klopp's side triumphed by the same scoreline in 2008/09 thanks to efforts from Tamás Hajnal, Florian Kringe and Nelson Valdez (pictured).

© imago sportfotodienst/imago sportfotodienst

Kovač on transfer plans

In an interview with Sport Bild, Dortmund coach Niko Kovač has called for patience and intelligence in his team’s transfer activity this summer as he looks to pick up where he left off with BVB at the end of the 2024/25 season. “We need a big squad with top quality,” said Kovač, who inspired Borussia to a fourth-place finish after taking charge in February. “It might take some time. We have to make rational decisions […] not emotional ones.”

© IMAGO/David Klein

Süle setback

Niklas Süle was taken off in the first half of that game and will be out for around two months after medical tests revealed a calf problem. It means Dortmund have a selection headache at centre-back, where Nico Schlotterbeck and the potentially gap-filling Emre Can are both already sidelined. Dortmund hero Mats Hummels was given a send-off - and eventually replaced by Süle - in that Juve game. Maybe stick around, Mats?

© Christof Koepsel

4:17

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Steady start

As for Essen, they are two games into their third division campaign already. Both matches have ended in 1-1 draws so far, with the latest coming at newly-promoted TSV Havelse last weekend. Essen had taken a 90th-minute lead but were pegged back six minutes into stoppage-time and denied victory.

Summer so far

It's been a busy off-season for Dortmund, who narrowly exited the FIFA Club World Cup at the quarter-final stage in July following a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid. Since then, BVB have been to Austria and chalked up wins over Sportfreunde Siegen (8-1) and Lille (3-2) before a 2-1 loss to Juventus last weekend.

Welcome!

The road to Berlin 2026 starts here as the 2025/26 DFB Cup first round swings into action this weekend. The opening games are closed out with this fixture on Monday (kick-off: 8.45pm CEST) between third division Rot-Weiss Essen and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund.

About the clubs

Borussia Dortmund

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