The 21st match day of the Regionalliga West featured the top match par excellence. Rot-Weiß Oberhausen hosted league leaders Fortuna Cologne and lost 1-3.
After the first leg between Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and Fortuna Cologne on August 16, 2025 (1-5), it was impossible to predict that the 21st match day would feature a top match in the battle for promotion. The team led by RWO coach Sebastian Gunkel has fought back in astonishing fashion and is now considered a contender for promotion to the third division. Trailing by six points and with one game less than leaders Fortuna Cologne, they had the chance to lay the foundation for a further comeback in the direct duel at the Niederrhein Stadium. However, the “Kleeblätter” (clover leaves) completely lost their nerve and suffered a clear 1-3 defeat to the cathedral city team. The home team made it far too easy for Cologne, especially in the first 15 minutes. The players in red were always a step too late – both on the ball and on their opponents.
Understandably, Gunkel had few positive words to say about the early stages of the game at the subsequent press conference: “We didn’t get off to a good start and then found ourselves 2-0 down early on. I think that was the difference. Two chances resulted in two goals. We could have handled both situations differently.”
We tried everything. Then came the 3-0 with the third chance – that’s what sets us apart at the moment.
Sebastian Gunkel
The game then developed into a constant onslaught from Oberhausen. Fortuna Cologne, on the other hand, was able to sit back and enjoy its lead. Gunkel’s team had few ideas for how to break down Cologne’s compact defense.
“In the second half, it was clear that it was going to be very compact. Physicality also plays a role there. Fortuna is very present there, which made it difficult to create chances. We tried everything. Then came the 3-0 with the third chance – that’s what sets us apart at the moment,” explained Gunkel.
The lucky winner, meanwhile, came from the cathedral city. Coach Matthias Mink and his team further extended their lead at the top of the table. Fortuna are now nine points ahead. On a day “when everything went right,” the coach was naturally delighted: “Huge praise to the team and the fans, who once again provided fantastic support. It was a dream day. But nothing has been achieved yet.”