Borussia Dortmund had to work hard but managed to win on Monday at the home of the modest yet brave Essen from the 3rd division, with a 0-1 victory, moving forward in the German Cup.
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As is customary in Germany, before the first matchday of the Bundesliga, it is traditional to play the first round of the Cup and, this Monday, it was Borussia Dortmund's turn to step into action at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße, home of Essen, from the 3rd division, which was packed and buzzing with excitement.
One would expect the yellow team to dominate the match, given the difference between the teams, but the truth is that the home team showed great courage and even had the best chances in the first half, only to be stopped by a secure and alert Kobel.
Borussia Dortmund was faltering in the final third and, after the break, tried to speed up their game from the midfield, with the introductions of Brandt and Jobe Bellingham. It took a while, but the goal finally came at the 79th minute, scored by striker Guirassy with a sharp and angled shot from outside the box. The first division team struggled, but they advance in the German Cup, the DFB Pokal.
Also on Monday, note the qualifications for the next phase by Fortuna Dusseldorf, who defeated 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 by 2-4, Mainz, who beat Dynamo Dresden by 0-1, and Hertha BSC, who went to penalties to eliminate Preussen Munster, after a 0-0 draw in regular time.
