Energie Cottbus secures direct promotion on the final matchday

Energie Cottbus has achieved direct promotion on the final matchday. The 1-0 win at Jahn Regensburg was enough for second place, as the Lusatians defended their narrow lead for 90 minutes and even survived a penalty in stoppage time.

With this, Energie Cottbus is returning to the 2. Bundesliga after twelve years. The away win on the 38th and final matchday of the 3. Liga secured second place behind champions VfL Osnabrück—a position that grants direct promotion. At the same time, the decision for the relegation spot was made: Rot-Weiss Essen won 3-2 at SSV Ulm and overtook MSV Duisburg.

Boziaris scores, Funk secures promotion

Cottbus laid the foundation for promotion in Regensburg before halftime. Jannis Boziaris scored the goal of the day after 28 minutes. In a sold-out Jahnstadion with 15,210 spectators, including around 8,000 supporters from Cottbus, the guests initially appeared much more organized: they kept the ball, put Regensburg under pressure with structured pressing, and rewarded themselves with the lead.

After the goal, the dynamics of the match changed. Regensburg increased the risk, went through a period of pressure, and more consistently sought a way into the penalty area. Cottbus survived this phase, found their way back into the game after the break, and were once again the more stable team, without significantly extending their lead.

The final phase was not without pressure, however. The hosts pushed for the equalizer until the end—until promotion hung by a thread in stoppage time: Energie goalkeeper Marius Funk saved a penalty from Florian Dietz. At the latest, this scene gave the 1-0 win the definitive character of a promotion victory.

Cottbus decides the race on the final matchday

The sporting core thesis of this final matchday is clear: Cottbus decided direct promotion themselves. In an away game where a single moment could have changed the standings, the team held onto the result over time—with a goal at the right moment, with controlled phases of play, and with a goalkeeper who made the difference at the crucial moment.

The fact that the decision was only made on the 38th matchday increases the significance of this achievement: such matches are rarely won through beauty, but through nerves of steel, clear roles, and the ability to remain capable of action even under increasing pressure. For Energie, the leap back to the 2. Bundesliga means not only a sporting return, but also planning security for the summer—from the squad to the club's economic direction.

Essen seizes the chance for third place

Behind Cottbus, the decision for the relegation spot was also made. Rot-Weiss Essen won 3-2 at SSV Ulm and pushed MSV Duisburg down to fourth place. The match-winner was Ben Vincent Hüning, who scored the winning goal in stoppage time.

Because Duisburg could only manage a 1-1 draw against Viktoria Köln at the same time, Essen's late success was enough to jump to the relegation spot. There, Rot-Weiss Essen will now face the 16th-placed team from the 2. Bundesliga. For Duisburg, only fourth place remained after the draw.

For Cottbus, the final matchday is thus a double proof: promotion was not achieved through a parallel match, but through their own away win in Regensburg—decided by Boziaris' goal and secured by Funk's penalty save. Essen extends its season in the relegation, while Duisburg comes away empty-handed despite the 1-1 draw against Viktoria Köln.