The first round in the DFB Cup on Monday saw third-division South Essen vs Dortmund pushing Borussia Dortmund until the final whistle as they took them to the wire and finally lost 1-0. A late, decisive strike by Serhou Guirassy (79 minutes) separated a resolute performance by the hosts.
The visitors started off well with Marcel Sabitzer and Lukas Nmecha probing the goalkeeper soon enough but Essen getting into their strides. Kaito Mizuta provoked Gregor Kobel into action and Ramien Safi ended up wasting a gilt-edged opportunity to give the home side the lead just before halftime, only to be parried by Dortmund skipper in goal.
Dortmund were predictable going forward and could not overwhelm the compact Essen defense easily in the second half. To ignite creativity, head coach Jobe Bellingham and Julian Brandt were proceeded and Brandt even made a free-kick that just missed the mark. The innovations eventually came thanks to Guirassy who delayed his marker near the edge of the box and sent a low drive to the corner, ensuring Dortmund will advance to the next round.
Read more: South Africa Shocks Australia in T20 Thriller
The outcome leaves Dortmund unaffected in their good record against German teams but Essen can boast of their ability to fight till the end against first division clubs. The game again served as a reminder of the surprise attraction of the DFB Cup in which lower-league teams still challenge Bundesliga giants. South Essen vs Dortmund eventually experienced the Guirassy quality determining a close encounter that finished in a draw.
