Underdog in Day 2 - Essen Takes the Front Row
3rd Division Match Report: Rot-Weiss Essen vs TSV Havelse Ends in Dramatic Draw
In the 2nd matchday of the 2025/26 3rd division, Rot-Weiss Essen traveled to TSV Havelse on August 9, 2025. The highly anticipated clash saw a thrilling conclusion, with TSV Havelse securing a 2-1 victory.
The game started off with Rot-Weiss Essen showing their prowess, with Tobias Kraulich scoring the opening goal in the 89th minute, making it 1-0 for the away team. However, Havelse put up a valiant fight, and in the dying moments of stoppage time, Lorenzo Paldino scored an equalizing goal with a spectacular scorpion kick, securing a 2-1 victory for the home team.
The match was not much of a home game for the promoted team, as the attendance recorded was 1,010 spectators, with the exact number of Rot-Weiss Essen fans attending not specified separately within that total. Despite this, more than 2,200 supporters of Rot-Weiss Essen were present, traveling a distance of 253 kilometers.
The attendance figure reflects the total crowd, not just Essen fans. It is worth noting that this was early in the season, and Rot-Weiss Essen had drawn their first two matches 1-1, including the game against TSV Havelse. However, the official match report for the Havelse game states a 2-1 victory for Havelse that day.
This result means that TSV Havelse now has one win under their belt, while Rot-Weiss Essen remains undefeated but without a win. The 3rd division started the season with only one team, MSV Duisburg, winning the first two games.
Meanwhile, 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 is at the bottom of the table, having started the season with two defeats. The match between 1. FC Saarbrücken and Viktoria Köln had 13,152 spectators and 100 away fans, traveling a distance of 260 kilometers, while the match between 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 and Energie Cottbus had 9,261 spectators and 1,550 away fans, traveling a distance of 462 kilometers.
The match between TSV 1860 Munich and VfL Osnabrück had 15,000 spectators and 1,401 away fans, traveling a distance of 648 kilometers. The 2nd matchday was relatively well-attended for 3rd division standards, but the match between TSV Havelse and Rot-Weiss Essen had the third-lowest figure.
Despite the bitter ending, Rot-Weiss Essen must still be reckoned with this season, thanks in no small part to their impressive support. Havelse put up a good fight against Essen, despite a meager three-digit number of home fans in the stands.
On the other hand, TSG Hoffenheim II scored its first win against Alemannia Aachen, marking a positive start for the team. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these teams fare and whether Rot-Weiss Essen can turn their draws into wins.
[1] Source: Official match report for the TSV Havelse vs Rot-Weiss Essen game. [3] Source: Previous match report for Rot-Weiss Essen in the 2025/26 3rd division.
In the midst of European-leagues football, Rot-Weiss Essen's dramatic draw with TSV Havelse in the 3rd division highlights the determination and talent within the ranks of lower-tier clubs. Grasping onto a draw in their first match of the European-leagues season, Rot-Weiss Essen missed the opportunity to secure a victory against TSV Havelse, a setback that could prove significant in the race for promotions.
