Krefeld Pinguine vs Esbjerg: match preview on 11 September 2026

Krefeld Pinguine to win. The Germans have won four of their last five matches, including three straight friendlies, while Esbjerg have lost four of five and are on a run that includes a 7-1 defeat to Herning Blue Fox. In a friendly, the side with momentum and a sharper attack typically dictates the tempo.

Krefeld scored 17 goals in five matches and conceded 12, with their heaviest defeat a 4-0 loss to Kolner in August. They bounced back with a 6-2 win over Vålerenga and a 3-2 victory at Iserlohn Roosters. Esbjerg managed just 11 goals in the same period and conceded 25, including a 7-2 hammering by Herlev on 9 September. The gap in attacking output is stark.

A friendly tells a different story

This is not a league fixture. Krefeld play in DEL2, the German second tier, while Esbjerg compete in the Danish Metal Ligaen. Two divisions apart, the expectation in a friendly is that the stronger side controls possession and tests their options. Esbjerg have shown they can score — they beat Herlev 2-0 at home — but they have not kept a clean sheet in five games.

Krefeld's defensive record is not pristine either. They conceded four goals to Kolner and two to both Iserlohn and Düsseldorf. But Esbjerg have conceded seven goals in two separate matches this season. When one side is dropping goals freely and the other is finding the net regularly, the match tends to open up.

What would change this

A Krefeld victory stops holding if Esbjerg treat this as a competitive test rather than a friendly. They have lost four of five, but they did beat Herlev 2-0 at home in early September. If they come out with intent, if they press high and force Krefeld into errors, the result shifts. A draw suits the visitors — and given how they run the clock down in friendlies, that is the main threat.