Energie Cottbus wins 3:2 – sauna and commitment for promotion!

Energie Cottbus wins 3:2 – sauna and commitment for promotion!

Energie Cottbus remains on course in the fight for promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga. On Sunday evening, the Lausitz team celebrated a narrow 3-2 win against Rot-Weiß Essen, their second success in a row. However, coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz was not completely satisfied after the game and announced a sauna session for his players. With good reason, as the team had previously completed a long bus journey of around 650 kilometers. After the game, the players should first go for a leisurely run before going to the sauna to process the exertions of the journey, as Bild reports.

The win against Essen was hard fought. Tolcay Cigerci gave Cottbus the lead in the 13th minute with a penalty goal. Erik Engelhardt increased the score to 2-0 in the 69th minute, but the opponent didn't give up. Jannik Mause (61st minute) and Tom Moustier (88th minute) reduced the deficit and caused nervousness, but the Cottbus team withstood the pressure. A particular highlight of the game was the outstanding performance of goalkeeper Marius Funk, who made crucial saves.

A critical look at the performance

Despite the victory, Wollitz remained critical in his analysis. In past games, such as the disappointing 1-1 draw against the bottom of the league, the team showed weaknesses that could not be overlooked. Cottbus fell behind in the second minute after a goal by Lenn Jastremski should have been canceled due to an offside position. Only a last-minute equalizer by Cigerci in stoppage time prevented an even worse result like that Daily Mirror noted.

Cottbus is currently in the relegation zone, tied on points with their pursuer from Saarbrücken, but with a better goal difference. The second half of the season has been sobering so far, with only one win from the last five games. Wollitz is demanding greater intensity and more conviction from his players in the remaining three games against Waldhof Mannheim, Hansa Rostock and Ingolstadt in order not to lose sight of promotion.

The look forward

The competition in the promotion race is tough. The 2nd Bundesliga, which starts on July 27, 2025, is dominated by many strong teams. VfL Bochum and Hertha BSC have ambitions to get promoted to the Bundesliga. Bochum, with Dieter Hecking at the helm, is considered one of the favorites, as are Fortuna Düsseldorf and Holstein Kiel, who have strengthened well. Talents brought in could cause a stir, which should also motivate Cottbus to stay on the ball, like them Sports show reported.

In a highly competitive league like the 2nd Bundesliga, Energie Cottbus has to combine all its strengths to achieve promotion. With passion on the defensive and the necessary amount of luck, the dream of promotion may be within reach, even if the road there is still rocky. The fans hope that their team will find the right answers and ultimately find themselves in the second highest league next season.