Overview

• Serhou Guirassy sealed Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 victory at Rot-Weiss Essen with a 79th‑minute strike to send the club into the second round.
• In stoppage time, Essen’s Kelsey Owusu caught Yan Couto high on the knee, and the Dortmund defender was taken off on a stretcher with his condition awaiting medical assessment.
• Referee Frank Willenborg cautioned Owusu with yellow, drawing sharp criticism from coach Niko Kovac, who called the challenge “actually an attack,” and from sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who said it was a clear red.
• VAR is not in use in the first two rounds of the DFB-Pokal, so the on-field decision could not be reviewed or upgraded.
• With several defenders already sidelined, the incident has intensified scrutiny of Dortmund’s thin back line and increased calls for defensive reinforcements before the Bundesliga opener.