Rot-Weiß Essen 1-2 RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga side survived a tense second half away from home, holding on for a narrow victory after being reduced to ten men just before the break. Leipzig controlled the ball for long stretches but were forced to dig deep as the hosts pushed for an equalizer in front of their own supporters.
The scoring opened in the 9th minute, giving Leipzig an early platform to build on. The visitors doubled their advantage in the 78th minute, a goal that would ultimately prove decisive. Rot-Weiß Essen responded almost immediately, pulling one back in the 82nd minute to set up a nervy finish. With 63 percent possession and 2.31 expected goals, Leipzig created the better of the chances, registering nine shots inside the penalty area and four big chances, while Essen managed six shots from inside the box and 1.34 expected goals.
The match turned on a red card shown to RB Leipzig in the 44th minute, moments before half-time. The dismissal forced the visitors into a reshuffle, with substitutions made at the interval to stabilize the shape. The card count told a story of a fiercely contested cup tie: Leipzig picked up four yellow cards, while Rot-Weiß Essen received two, with bookings spread across both halves. No penalties were awarded. Essen's discipline in the tackle was notable, completing 17 successful tackles from 25 attempts and 26 clearances as they fought to stay in the contest.
The red card reshaped the game's flow entirely. Leipzig, dominant in possession with 396 successful passes, had to defend deeper after the break, and Essen grew into the match, firing off six shots off target and winning five corners. The hosts' late goal in the 82nd minute came from sustained pressure, and with 45 passes into the final third, they made the final minutes uncomfortable for the ten men. Leipzig's goalkeeper was called into action once, while Essen's keeper also made a single save. For those weighing Rot-Weiß Essen vs RB Leipzig betting odds before kickoff, the expert tips pointed toward a Leipzig win, and who will win was answered - but only just, as the visitors' numerical disadvantage nearly cost them dear.
