Overview

• The DFB-Pokal first-round match kicks off tonight at 20:45 CEST in Stadion an der Hafenstraße and will be televised live on ARD.
• Koschinat has declared both the cup fixture and the 3. Liga away game at Wehen Wiesbaden on August 22 as equally important, planning rotation to cope with the four-day turnaround.
• A sell-out crowd of around 27,000 is expected to turn the Hafenstraße into a “Hexenkessel,” with players like Klaus Gjasula citing home support as a key advantage.
• Both clubs will pause before kickoff to jointly honor late striker Frank Mill, who made significant contributions to Essen and Dortmund.
• Since returning to the professional ranks in 2022, RWE have drawn their opening two league matches and are now viewed as promotion contenders under Koschinat.