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Friday match result:

Duisburg 0 - 1 Energie Cottbus

4' [0 - 1] E. Skela

MSV Duisburg 0-1 Energie Cottbus

Energie Cottbus took a valuable three points with a narrow 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Energie Cottbus at the MSV Arena. The win sees Cottbus move four points clear of the relegation zone, but leaves MSV still in the bottom three.

A first half header from Ervin Skela sealed the points for the visitors, but they had to withstand a lot of pressure in the second half from a determined, but wasteful Duisburg.

First Half

This battle between two relegation threatened sides got off to a lightning quick start with the home almost taking the lead after just 50 seconds. Midfielder Adam Bodzek unleashed a shot from around 20 meters out that forced Tremmel into a flying save to fist the ball out from the top corner.

However, the away side were also quickly into their stride and they drew first blood with a goal after just four minutes. Sörensen broke down the right beating Caceres before sending over an inviting cross. Skela found himself unmarked and was able to head home easily from 6 meters out.

Despite the setback of conceding the early goal, the home side continued to press forwards and were the more dangerous side in an attacking sense. On 13 minutes Niculescu tried his luck from distance and Tremmel had to be on his toes to hold onto the dangerous effort.

The Zebras were then hit with an early injury blow after just 17 minutes with key striker Manesseh Ishiaku having to limp off having not recovered from an earlier knock. Sascha Mölders was his replacement.

Both sides had chances from dangerous looking free kicks but both Tararache and Ziebig both wasted their opportunities and after an interesting first half Cottbus went in ahead after converting their only real chance of the half.

Second Half

Straight after the restart, the home side were awarded another good opportunity with a free kick on the edge of the Cottbus penalty area, but yet again they wasted it with Grlic firing into the wall.

Five minutes in and the Zebras very nearly grabbed the equaliser after a well worked move. The ball came to Caceres on the left and his shot fizzed inches wide of the far post.

The home side were finding it hard to up the pressure and force Cottbus into defensive mistakes. They were forcing the game, but not being rewarded with goal scoring opportunities.

Duisburg Trainer Rudi Bommer sent on an extra striker in Markus Daun just after the hour mark in an ambitious, but risky tactical switch.

On 69 minutes the visitors had a huge chance to make it 2-0 but were denied by keeper Tom Starke. Sörensen found himself through on goal but was denied by the foot of the keeper when he attempted to fire the ball into the goal.

Duisburg’s best chances continued to come from set-pieces and Grlic forced a superb save from Tremmel on 78 minutes which was pushed away for a corner when it seemed destined for the back of the net. A minute later Mölders should have done better with a cross, but was rather surprised when it arrived at him.

The pressure from the home side continued to mount with Maicon firing a dangerous shot which had to be saved by Tremmel with eight minutes left. The next and final chance fell to Bodzek who flashed his shot just wide after taking the ball well on his chest inside the area.

In the end all their pressure counted for nothing and the visitors took a valuable three points from this bottom of the table clash.

Duisburg: Starke, Lamey (Willi 71), Filipescu (Daun 63), Schlicke, Caceres, Bodzek, Grlic, Tararache, Maicon, Ishiaku (Mölders 17), Niculescu

Energie Cottbus: Tremmel, da Silva, Mitreski, Cvitanovic, Ziebig, Bassila, Angelov, Rost, Skela (Radeljic 81), Sörensen (Rivic 74), Jelic (Papadopulos 52)

Goal.com - Bundesliga - Cottbus Triumph In Basement Battle