Overview

• Serhou Guirassy struck in the 79th minute to give Borussia Dortmund a 1:0 win at Rot-Weiss Essen and a place in the DFB-Pokal second round.
• Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel preserved the result with key saves, notably denying Ramien Safi one-on-one before halftime and stopping Tom Moustier in stoppage time.
• Dortmund’s performance drew frank self-criticism, with Julian Brandt calling it “fahrig” and acknowledging the team lacked control for long stretches.
• In stoppage time, Kelsey Owusu caught Yan Couto high on the knee; referee Frank Willenborg showed yellow, there was no VAR in round one, and Niko Kovac called the challenge “an assault” as Sebastian Kehl said it warranted red.
• With Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle and Emre Can sidelined, 20-year-old Filippo Mané made his competitive debut in defense, heightening depth concerns before the 23 August Bundesliga opener at St. Pauli; Couto’s condition awaits medical evaluation.