Essen goalkeeper Felix Wienand fell to the ground in the 55th minute and held his ears after a firecracker from the Mannheim block landed just next to him. The goalkeeper appeared dazed and had to undergo lengthy treatment. Referee Lennart Kernchen then sent both teams to the dressing rooms.

Goalkeeper in hospital after throwing a firecracker

According to “MagentaSport”, the goalkeeper was responsive but had to go to hospital. According to an initial diagnosis, Wienand suffered from blast trauma and an acute stress reaction, as RWE announced on Platform X. Further investigations are to follow.

The game was close to being canceled after the incident in the 53rd minute, for which a Mannheim fan was apparently responsible. After an interruption of more than 45 minutes, things continued. The suspected perpetrator is said to have been identified and arrested. At the time of the break, Essen was leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Marek Janssen.

There was a similar incident in December 2024 in the Bundesliga during the game between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum. In stoppage time of the game, Bochum’s goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was hit in the head by a lighter and fell to the ground. The match ended after an interruption, but Bochum protested against the score after the score was 1-1 was later awarded a victory.