Guirassy rescues struggling Dortmund in tough Essen encounter - Difficulty level: 0 for Borussia VfL
Borussia Dortmund Secures 1-0 Win in Cautious DFB-Pokal Performance
Borussia Dortmund's 2025/26 DFB-Pokal first-round match against Rot-Weiss Essen ended in a 1-0 victory, but the performance showed both tactical discipline and limitations in attacking creativity.
The match, played before 19,300 fans at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße, started with Dortmund dominating possession and shots, with four shots to zero after 15 minutes and 70% possession. However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances against Essen's disciplined back five.
Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha had early shots for Dortmund, but Essen's goalkeeper, Jakob Golz, was untroubled. A fierce free-kick from Jadon Sancho, who entered the game as a substitute, hit the outside of the post at the 70th minute.
The decisive goal came in the 79th minute, when Serhou Guirassy, who replaced Erling Haaland after an hour, scored the winning goal. Guirassy's individual quality proved crucial in breaking Essen's defense.
In the second half, Dortmund's attacking momentum waned, and the initial tactical setup started to look stale. Coach Niko Kovac delayed substitutions until the 67th minute, introducing Thomas Brandt and Jude Bellingham, which helped revive the attack.
Dortmund's expected goals (xG) were low at 0.86, reflecting the challenge they had in breaking down Essen's defense despite controlling possession. Kovac acknowledged the need to improve attacking sharpness going forward, while the defensive structure held up reasonably well.
Essen grew into the game, with their home support spurring them on. Gregor Kobel, Dortmund's goalkeeper, was instrumental in their victory, making several crucial saves. There were worried faces among the Dortmund players due to a high challenge by Essen's Kelsey Owusu on Yan Couto, who required stretcher assistance.
In the dying moments of the game, Kobel denied Tom Moustier to secure the win. Kovac switched to a 4-4-2 system, with Guirassy now leading the line. Despite the positive result, the cautious and somewhat lackluster performance marked their 20th consecutive second-round qualification in the DFB-Pokal but emphasized the need for progress in offensive effectiveness as the season advances.
The match began with a minute's silence in tribute to former World Cup winner Frank Mill, who passed away two weeks ago. Mill played for both Dortmund and Essen during his career.
[1] Source: Borussia Dortmund official website [2] Source: Whoscored.com
