Cottbus Narrowly Wins as Dresden Misses Chance to Extend Lead in 3. Liga

Energie Cottbus closes the gap to one point behind Dynamo Dresden after a contentious penalty secures their first win in five matches.

Dynamo Dresden drew 1-1 against Rot-Weiss Essen, failing to capitalize on a slip by their closest competitor, 1. FC Saarbrücken, in the promotion race.
Energie Cottbus secured a 1-0 victory over SV Sandhausen, ending their winless streak of five matches and moving to second place in the table.
The decisive goal for Cottbus came from a controversial penalty converted by Tolcay Cigerci in the 71st minute, with questions over whether the foul occurred on the penalty line.
Dynamo Dresden remains at the top of the league but now holds only a one-point lead over Cottbus, intensifying the competition for promotion.
Both teams face critical preparation during the international break, with Dresden focusing on set-piece training and a friendly match against FK Teplice planned.