- Recent form: Both teams have been in similar form recently (W2 L3 in last 5), with the visitors coming into the game on a losing streak of 2 (0 wins and 2 defeats in recent away matches).
- Head-to-head: Essen have won 1 and drawn 1 in the last 2 meetings between the 2 sides (L0), beating Havelse 4-1 at home in 3.Liga 2025/2026.
- Top scorers: The main scorers for each side so far in 3.Liga 2026/2027 have been Torben Muesel for Essen (scoring 3 of their 4 goals in the last 5 matches) and Jesse Edem Tugbenyo for Havelse (1 goal in 1 match).
Home comforts matter
Essen: manager, odds and form
Uwe Koschinat has been the manager of SC Rot-Weiss Essen since 12 December 2024 and his side are the clear home favorites in this matchup at 1.29, while TSV Havelse are the long shots at 7.9. So it will surprise few that we are favoring the hosts here, but not without some trepidation.
Essen's home record in all current competitions stands at 3 wins and 2 losses in the last 5, which is a fairly decent return given the level they were playing at last season. They have also conceded only 5 goals in the same 5 games, so the back four have generally been reliable.
Style, tactics and recent results
Essen usually deploy a back 3 but have also played a 4-2-3-1 this season, they are a pressing team that have a good vertical running game with overloads out wide to stretch the field and suck opponents out of shape. They are coming into this game on a run of 3 straight defeats (W2 L3 in the last 5), after losing 1-2 at home to Borussia Monchengladbach and 0-3 away to Bayer Leverkusen.
Havelse: manager and form
Samir Ferchichi has been the boss of TSV Havelse since 21 September 2022 and he has them well drilled. They are a compact, low block, disciplined 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 side that absorbs pressure and breaks quickly and they will be looking to counter-attack in this game.
Havelse are also in decent form, with 2 wins and 3 defeats in their last 5 (W1 L4 in the last 5 away), after securing a 3-2 home victory over 1.FC Schweinfurt 05, getting hammered 6-1 away at TSV Alemannia Aachen and losing 2-3 at home to VfB Stuttgart II.
A clash of styles
Predictions and betting
The likely outcome of this matchup should be a home win, as the odds of 1.29 reflect. Havelse are a good side and can make it tough for their opponents, but they need to stay compact for long periods and will struggle to do so on the road, where they have 1 win and 4 defeats in their last 5 (0 wins and 2 defeats in recent away matches).
Both teams to score is available at 1.52 and the bet could easily land here in what should be a lively game, but the over 2.5 goals line is much shorter at 1.27 and under 2.5 goals at 3.55 seems to keep things close and grindy.
Key players
- Torben Muesel has been Essen's main scorer so far, he has 3 of the 4 goals in the club's last 5 games and is the main man in the box, while Kwasi Okyere Wriedt has been Havelse's main creator, already supplying 2 assists in 1 game in the 3.Liga 2026/2027, making him the team's focal point between the lines.
