Landesligist FC Kray conceded a 3:5 defeat against regional league side SSVg Velbert in the Niederrheinpokal and missed out on a place in the round of 16.

14 of the 16 teams that qualified for the Lower Rhine Cup round of 16 have been determined. Among them are two district league teams, Schwarz-Weiß Alstaden and Krefeld-Fischeln. Alstaden celebrated a sensational victory over Wuppertaler SV and Krefeld-Fischeln defeated Oberligist Union Nettetal.

The penultimate match of the second round was played on Tuesday afternoon, with Essen participating. FC Kray hosted SSVg Velbert, a team promoted to the regional league, at Buderusstrasse and conceded a narrow 3:5 (0:2) defeat.

Kray got off to a solid start, defending consistently in a five-man backline and repeatedly setting up pinpricks via switching moments. The match plan worked for the first 30 minutes, but then the favorites struck ice-cold.

First, Cellou Diallo put the Velbert team in the lead from close range (33rd), before former RWO talent Joey Justin Gabriel made it 2-0 for the SSVg just before the break (41st) following a corner. This result also held at the break.

Whoever thought that FCK was already beaten, saw himself deceived. After the change of ends, coach Sebastian Amendt made two substitutions – one of the jokers immediately attracted attention: Ayman Abdelrahman Yousif Yagoub scored the tie-breaking goal in the 48th minute and gave the Landesliga club hope again.

And not only that: Kray actually managed to equalize eleven turns of the clock later when captain Pascal Itter scored with a header to make it 2:2. In this phase, the underdog was the better team, but the next goal was scored by the visitors. Kray failed to clear a standard situation and striker Lamin Touray (70th) was the beneficiary – 3:2 for Velbert.

The brave Krayers continued to try everything, but the final knockout followed in the 79th minute. Diallo put the lid on it with his brace. Although Yagoub was able to reduce the score to 3:4 in injury time, the goal came too late.

Florian Berisha then scored at the final whistle to make the final score 5:3 for Velbert. Kray claimed offside and keeper Raphael Koczor was sent off with a yellow card.

Now only one participant is still open for the round of the last 16. This will be determined in the traditional duel between KFC Uerdingen and MSV Duisburg (October 11, 7:30 p.m.).

The round of 16 matches will then be drawn on October 7 (from 11 a.m.) at the offices of the Lower Rhine Football Association (FVN). Definitely in the running: Rot-Weiss Essen, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and also SSVg Velbert.