FC Erzgebirge Aue are staggering towards relegation from the third soccer league for the first time. Aue coach Christoph Dabrowski's charges conceded a 2:4 (1:3) defeat at promotion candidates Rot-Weiss Essen. Nine matchdays before the end of the season, Aue are nine points behind the first non-relegation place.
After a good start, the Saxons fell to defeat at the stadium on Hafenstrasse after scoring three goals between the 28th and 37th minutes. Torben Müsel surprised Aue goalkeeper Martin Männel with a chipped strike to make it 1-0 (28'). Jannik Hofmann followed up with a dream goal from a good 25 meters (33'), before Essen's top scorer Marek Janssen also made sure of a supposed preliminary decision with a spectacular goal (37').
Jannic Ehlers provided hope when he surprisingly beat Essen goalkeeper Jakob Golz shortly before the end of stoppage time (45.+2). Aue stepped up their efforts after the break and even scored the equalizer through Marcel Bär (61').
Julian Günther-Schmidt had a great chance to equalize, but was denied by Golz and the post (72'). Ten minutes later, Kaito Mizuta scored Essen's fourth goal to decide the game.
