Fourth against third. RWE vs. Ulm – that was not to be expected. It is likely to be an emotional game in front of a full house in Essen. The guests have also put their passivity to rest.
It’s actually crazy that we’re talking about the fourth against the third before the 3rd division game between Rot-Weiss Essen and SSV Ulm 1846 (Saturday, 2 p.m.).
RWE, almost relegated last year, against the promoted team that almost everyone had on their radar when it came to the first relegated team. And now this: if RWE wins, they will climb to the relegation spot on their own merit – with the prospect of more.
If Ulm win, they will have a cushion of five points over fourth place in any case. What a prospect, so it’s no wonder that the first Ulm players are now dropping their reservations.
They have every right to. In Kicker, Romario Rösch looks ahead and is aggressive before the duel at Hafenstraße: “In our heads, it’s no longer about keeping the class. We want to consolidate our place in the table. That’s also realistic in our current situation. It’s an amazing opportunity for us to face a direct competitor. We want to surf the wave while we can.”
It’s an amazing opportunity for us to face a direct competitor. We want to surf the wave while we can
Romario Rösch
SSV Ulm, who are traveling to Essen with a full band and will be accompanied by around 350 fans, are having an incredible season as promoted players. In 2024, they are still unbeaten with three wins and two draws. In the first leg, Rot-Weiss Essen also had to admit defeat in Ulm, with the final score being 1:2 from RWE’s point of view.
That’s why Essen wants revenge, all in front of a great crowd, with 16,000 tickets already sold by Wednesday. With the twelfth man, it should be enough for RWE to win five home games in a row. The best home team will face the third-best away team. SSV has already won six of 13 meetings – most recently at Arminia Bielefeld.
It’s no wonder that Ulm’s self-confidence is growing. But the same applies to RWE, especially after the big away win last time out at leaders Jahn Regensburg.