Rot-Weiss Essen started the 2023/2024 season with a 2-1 defeat at Halleschen FC and ended the 2023 season with a win against HFC.
Rot-Weiss Essen is simply on a roll in the 2023/2024 season – the last game of the year proved that. RWE came from behind 2-0 down to win 3-2 – amazing!
Nobody cared that it took place in front of the season’s negative backdrop of 14,887 fans. To date, the fewest spectators (14,907) had made the pilgrimage to Hafenstraße against SC Verl in 2023/2024. Those who didn’t come this time would regret it. Because RWE said goodbye to 2023 with an emotional three-point finish.
Christoph Dabrowski’s team got off to a good start on the deep ground at the Hafenstraße stadium and also had the first big chance.
A great combination from Essen via Isaiah Young, Vinko Sapina and Lucas Brumme, who set up Ron Berlinski in the middle, did not find its way into the Halle goal. Berlinski (3rd) did not hit the ball properly and was stopped by HFC goalkeeper Sebastian Müller.
RWE continued to press: Torben Müsel set up Cedric Harenbrock (15′), who played Young in again, but the American slid wide and his shot was saved by the HFC keeper.
They say good things come in threes, but not for Red-White Essen on Tuesday evening: Marvin Obuz curled the ball towards the Halle keeper from 18 meters, but his attempt went just wide. Lucky for the HFC!
3-0 to RWE in the category of scoring opportunities. But the home side couldn’t buy anything with this statistic, especially not after the scene in the 22nd minute. RWE had the chances, but Halle scored with its first shot. Aljaz Casar took a dry shot from 35 meters, the ball bounced on the soaking wet lawn before the goal line – 1-0 for the guest, Essen’s goalkeeper Jakob Golz had no chance.
The Red & Whites didn’t show any signs of being shell-shocked, quickly regaining the initiative. In the 38th minute, Harenbrock had a shot on target, but it would have been disallowed anyway. Referee Speckner ruled it to be a foul on the part of Berlinski. Nevertheless, Harenbrock sent the ball three meters over the Halle goal from just seven meters out.
RWE got off to a very good start after the break and, as at the beginning of the game, had the upper hand. After a Lucas Brumme cross, the HFC almost scored an own goal, after which Obuz shot wide of the goal while being unmarked.
And the punishment followed promptly: Besar Halimi (48′) finished a strong counterattack with a shot into the corner – 2:0!
Rot-Weiss Essen: three substitutions after an hour of play
Essen was now faltering. Dominic Baumann (52′) was stopped by Golz, then Götze cleared for a corner. Just two minutes later, Baumann was through again and should have made it 3-0, but Eric Voufack made a crucial clearance.
RWE coach Christoph Dabrowski had to make some changes. He made three substitutions in the 60th minute: Brumme, Young and Berlinski out – Voelcke, Vonic and Doumbouya in.
And, lo and behold: in the 62nd minute, RWE cut the deficit to 1:2. Sapina served Harenbrock, who was almost too late to finish, but his deflected ball still landed in the HFC goal.
In the 73rd minute, Essen had a good chance to equalize: Sascha Voelcke crossed nicely to Müsel, but his header went just wide. Just four minutes later, Lofolomo saved a Doumbouya shot just before the line. Unbelievable!
But somehow it felt like it was going to be 2:2 – and then the ball finally went into the away side’s net: Lofolomo headed Marvin Obuz’s cross into his own net to make it 2:2 (79). That’s how it would stay – or at least that’s what many fans thought. But this RWE team is just crazy this season. In the 90th minute, Leonardo Vonic scored the 3-2 after an Obuz cross – the rest was just madness at Hafenstraße!