German 2.Bundesliga
2026-05-22 - Rot-Weiss Essen vs Greuther Furth
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: 2.Bundesliga Promotion/Relegation Playoff – 1st leg
Stadion an der Hafenstrasse – Essen
Friday, 22nd May 2026 - kickoff 20:30 CET
Rot-Weiss Essen
3.Liga side RW Essen are very happy to be in this 2.Bundesliga playoffs. The last few months have been a roller coaster for them.
First, RW Essen went on a fantastic run of 7 straight wins this spring, then lost 3 straight, but then won back-to-back games in their last 2 games of the season to reach the playoff spot.
They beat SSV Ulm in their final game of the 3.Liga season with 2-3, scoring a stoppage-time goal that landed them in this playoff position. They also relied on other results, so it was a massive celebration after the final whistle.
The last time RW Essen played in the 2.Bundesliga was 20 years ago, in season 2006/07, so these games bring a lot of excitement to their town.
Greuther Fürth
Greuther Fürth has a rich football history, having been German Champions three times (before the Bundesliga era).
Interestingly, they have never dropped below 2.Bundesliga football in 30 years. The 2.Bundesliga is where they belong (apart from rare Bundesliga adventures), and I expect them to remain in the second division.
Greuther Fürth finished third from the bottom this 2.Bundesliga season, spending some time inside the bottom three. They appointed a new coach last December and achieved some vital wins in the final weeks of the season to keep their chances of league survival alive.
Note that Greuther Fürth has the best goalscorer in 2.Bundesliga – Noel Futkeu, who has scored 19 goals. He scored in all of Greuther Fürth’s last 5 games (7 goals total), so he is in excellent shape and a good bet for a goalscorer in this match.
The Betting Verdict
Even though this was a struggling season for Greuther Fürth, one of their worst in recent years, they are still the better side overall in this duel.
RW Essen only secured a playoff spot with a last-gasp win in their final game of the season. They are decent for 3.Liga standards, but I believe they will not be able to go past Greuther Fürth.
Odds on the away win are higher than expected, so I would go here with taking Greuther Fürth to win.
The Pick :
RW Essen 1-2 Greuther Fürth
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take Greuther Fürth to win at odds of 2.62 with SportBet.One
