Rot-Weiss Essen vs Borussia Dortmund Predictions

Rot-Weiss Essen vs Borussia Dortmund Predictions for this DFB-Pokal. Borussia Dortmund visit Rot-Weiss Essen at Stadion an der Hafenstraße on Monday, beginning their DFB-Pokal campaign in pursuit of a sixth title. Read on for our free betting tips and predictions.

DFB-Pokal | Aug 18 2025 at 7:45 pm UK at Stadion Essen

Rot-Weiss Essen vs Borussia Dortmund Predictions

Can Dortmund Avoid Early Embarrassment in the DFB-Pokal?

• Rot-Weiss Essen resilient at home: The 3. Liga side are unbeaten in their last 11 matches at Stadion an der Hafenstrasse, though they’ve only kept two clean sheets in that run.
• Dortmund’s firepower undeniable: BVB scored 71 goals across their Bundesliga campaign last season, the third-best tally in Germany’s top flight, highlighting their attacking depth.
• Goals guaranteed with Essen: The hosts have both scored and conceded in six straight matches, showing their attacking bravery comes at the cost of defensive solidity.

Best Bet for Rot-Weiss Essen vs Borussia Dortmund

There’s always something beautifully chaotic about the opening round of the DFB-Pokal. For the Bundesliga heavyweights, it is supposed to be a routine stroll; for the smaller sides, it is the one evening where dreams can take over logic. On Monday night, Borussia Dortmund will make the short trip to face Rot-Weiss Essen at Stadion an der Hafenstrasse, and although the gulf in divisions could not be clearer, cup football has a strange way of dragging nerves into what should look like a mismatch.

Rot-Weiss Essen arrive in front of their home support after an unbeaten start in the 3. Liga, though both of their opening fixtures ended in draws. They’ve shown they know how to score, but their inability to shut the back door is a recurring problem, with six straight games without a clean sheet. Uwe Koschinat’s men are stubborn at home—eleven matches unbeaten in their stadium speaks volumes—but against a Dortmund side stacked with attacking firepower, it feels like keeping that run alive may require more than stubbornness.

BVB come into the tie full of ambition. After finishing fourth in the Bundesliga last season, they want to start the new campaign with conviction. Under Niko Kovac, they’ve rediscovered a balance between attack and organisation, winning five of their eight matches since the league wrapped up. This game might not define their season, but slip-ups in the cup are remembered for years. The pressure is quietly bubbling.

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Best Bet for this Match

At BettingTips4You, we don’t scatter picks around like confetti—we give you one, and it’s the best one. Our Best Bet for this clash is Borussia Dortmund to win with over 3.5 goals in the match.

Why go for this combination? The answer lies in both teams’ tendencies. Dortmund have too much quality in attack to be held back. Serhou Guirassy, after bagging 34 goals last season, remains the focal point, and with Karim Adeyemi buzzing around him plus the creativity of Pascal Gross and Jobe Bellingham in midfield, the visitors have multiple ways to break through. Essen’s defensive trio of Alonso, Schultz and Kraulich will be in for a long evening.

However, this isn’t just about Dortmund running away with it. Essen have shown enough fight to suggest they could play their part in a lively game. They’ve scored in five straight fixtures, and with players like Ahmet Arslan and Dominik Martinovic carrying the threat up top, Dortmund’s patched-up defence—missing Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck—may find themselves caught napping once. Kovac’s men conceded 51 times in the Bundesliga last season; shutting out a motivated third-tier side is no guarantee.

This blend points directly towards goals. Dortmund are expected to win, but Essen’s attacking energy and Dortmund’s occasional defensive lapses should tip this into a high-scoring affair.

As BettingTips4You.com expert Wolfgang Shotten summed up:

“Cup ties like this rarely end quietly. Dortmund will win, but with their defence reshuffled and Essen brave at home, the scoreboard will light up.”

The most plausible outcome feels like a 4-1 Dortmund win: Essen grabbing one moment of joy, but the Bundesliga giants having too much class in the end.

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