Bottrop vs Rot-Weiß Essen

The match was effectively over after 30 seconds. Janssen's early goal set a tempo Bottrop could never live with, and the five-goal blitz inside the opening 19 minutes — before many in the crowd had settled — removed any competitive doubt. RWE's decision to make a full change of outfield players at half-time still yielded another four goals, underlining the depth of Uwe Koschinat's squad.

Fadih Vasic, promoted from the U19 academy, struck in the 49th minute. Jaka Cuber Potocnik added a brace (55', 62'), and new arrival Tony Menzel — signed from Dynamo Dresden — capped the scoring with an 87th-minute finish, his first goal in RWE colours.

Marek Janssen — The striker's first-half hat-trick set the tone. All three goals came from inside the box, two from close range, and he was withdrawn at half-time having already done the damage.

Janne Sietan — The summer arrival from Waldhof Mannheim scored on debut and dictated much of RWE's first-half build-up play from central midfield.

Jaka Cuber Potocnik — Introduced at the break, the forward bagged a quickfire double inside seven minutes (55', 62') with intelligent runs behind a tiring Bottrop defence.

Luca Bazzoli / James Gnagon / Jose Enrique Rios Alonso — The central defensive trio went untroubled but earned praise from Koschinat for their concentration and willingness to defend when called upon.

Player of the match: Marek Janssen.

The 11-0 scoreline reflected the gulf between a 3. Liga side preparing for a competitive season and a Landesliga (sixth-tier) opponent still building match sharpness. Seven goals in the first half and four more after a complete outfield change at the break showed depth rather than individual brilliance alone. RWE had 11 different scorers or assist-providers involved across the 11 goals. Bottrop registered no meaningful chances.

For Rot-Weiß Essen, the result is a routine pre-season exercise — fitness-building and integration of new signings more than a competitive marker. The club finished third in 3. Liga last season and lost the promotion play-off to Greuther Fürth. Koschinat is rebuilding around a core of young talent and new arrivals. Their next friendly is against local rivals ETB Schwarz-Weiß Essen on 11 July at the Uhlenkrug, before a training camp in Bad Griesbach starting 13 July.

For VfB Bottrop, the scoreline is a harsh reminder of the step up to face professional opposition, but the fixture served its purpose as a high-intensity workout ahead of their Landesliga campaign.

A pre-season mismatch that told us little about RWE's competitive ceiling but everything about their intent. Eleven goals, a clean sheet, debuts for multiple signings, and no injuries — Koschinat could not have asked for a more straightforward afternoon to begin preparations for the 3. Liga season.