Oberliga side KFC Uerdingen played a strong game against Rot-Weiss Essen for long stretches, but were still beaten 3-1.
While KFC Uerdingen are third in the Oberliga Niederrhein and lagging behind their own expectations, the match of the year awaited the fifth-division club in another competition on Wednesday evening. Third division side Rot-Weiss Essen were the guests in the Lower Rhine Cup quarter-final at the Grotenburg, which was almost sold out with 8,205 spectators.
This March 6 almost turned into a real Uerdingen holiday, but in the end KFC came away empty-handed: After 94 intense and varied minutes, the Oberliga club lost 1:3 (1:0) to the defending champions. The home side still led 1:0 at the break and even had chances to score a second goal. However, the underdogs ran out of steam from the 60th minute onwards and RWE shifted up a gear.
Player-coach Levan Kenia had a similar view after the final whistle: “We played a great game and could even have led 2-0. It’s annoying that we then lost 3-1, but the team put in a great performance, played with conviction and gave the crowd a lift. Our legs got heavier and heavier from the 70th minute onwards. We ran a lot and worked well tactically. In the end, I also had to bring myself in to provide offensive impetus. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out.”
The player coach and former Schalke professional substituted himself in the 78th minute and was sent off ten minutes later with a yellow card. Kenya could not understand his yellow card:
After the second yellow card, I was angry after a tactical foul by an Essen player and cursed in Georgian. I don’t know if the referee can speak Georgian (laughs). He doesn’t have to ruin an evening like that.
Levan Kenya
“The referee didn’t show any tact. I came in, then he didn’t whistle for a foul and I grumbled a bit. But that’s part of the emotion. On the second yellow card, I was angry after a tactical foul by an Essen player and cursed in Georgian. I don’t know if the referee can speak Georgian (laughs). He doesn’t have to ruin an evening like that.”
After the cup highlight, the Krefeld team will return to league action in the Oberliga on Sunday (March 10, 3 p.m.). KFC Uerdingen will face relegation candidates 1. FC Kleve at home
