- RWE's absence results in Leipzig's 4-1 victory
Two-time DFB-Pokal Cup victors RB Leipzig effortless moved onto the next stage, defeating third-division team Rot-Weiss Essen 4-1 (2-1) in front of 17,000 spectators at the Hafenstraße stadium.
Goals from Benjamin Sesko (12th minute), Lois Openda (40th), newcomer Antonio Nusa (84th), and Xavi Simons (88th) assured the victory for the guests. RWE's Ramien Safi had given the home side a 1-0 lead in the 2nd minute, but it was insufficient to prevent their seventh first-round elimination in the past eight years. Leipzig, much like last year, progressed to the second round.
The guests were initially caught off guard when Safi put RWE ahead with a swift finish following a magnificent pass from Torben Musel, scoring past Leipzig's keeper with a shot into the corner. The home team's supporters cheered the early goal against the evident favorites loudly.
However, Leipzig's head coach Marco Rose, who opted not to include any new signings in his starting lineup, quickly motivated his team, and they equalized through Sesko's header from a Haidara cross ten minutes later.
Before the break, Openda kept his cool after a pass from Sesko and slotted the ball past RWE keeper Jakob Golz, who then made several remarkable saves to prevent further goals. Substitute Nusa and Simons secured the win with goals in the 84th and 88th minutes respectively, denying RWE an upset in the cup. Previously, RWE had caused upsets against favored teams, including ousting then-champions Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 three years ago.
The DFB Cup victory for RB Leipzig in this match marked their third time lifting the trophy. Despite RWE's early lead through Ramien Safi, Leipzig managed to advance to the next round, just like they did in the previous year.
