3. Liga Matchday 19 Preview
As we edge closer to Christmas and the New Year, the games are coming thick and fast in Germany's third division.
| Photo: DFB |
Türkgücü München vs FC Kaiserslautern (Friday)
This weekend begins with two teams in completely different forms. Türkgücü are just about keeping their heads above water. They are currently three points outside the bottom four and without a victory in their last six matches! They have achieved two draws during this time which has spared them for now. Türkgücü host a Kaiserslautern who look like they could push for promotion. A win last weekend means FCK are just two points off 3rd and have now gone four games without conceding. It doesn’t bode well for the home side in this one.
(Prediction: Türkgücü München 0:2 FC Kaiserslautern)
MSV Duisburg vs SC Verl (Saturday)
Duisburg suffered a devastating loss last time out thanks to a 92nd-minute penalty from Freiburg II. This weekend, they host Verl who sit just above them in the relegation places. Both teams have been struggling and letting in far too many goals. Something has to give here. A draw simply isn’t good enough for either team. A win for MSV can lift them above their opponents and possibly just a point from safety. If Verl win, however, they could climb out of the bottom four if other results go their way. It might not be a classic in terms of quality but it should be entertaining nonetheless.
(Prediction: MSV Duisburg 2:1 SC Verl)
TSV Havelse vs Waldhof Mannheim
As we reach the halfway point, Havelse sit bottom on a lonely 12 points. You feel it’ll only be a matter of time before they’re the first team to be relegated this season. In fairness, the team from Hannover are mainly a semi-professional club so anything other than relegation this season would have been remarkable. They host Mannheim who occupy 3rd position. If they’re serious about achieving promotion this year, it’s games like this that they need to win convincingly.
(Prediction TSV Havelse 0:3 Waldhof Mannheim)
Borussia Dortmund II vs 1860 München
This could be a very close game as 8th entertain 12th respectively. Dortmund II have recently steadied the ship and climbed back into the top half of the table. Remarkably, they are now just four points off 3rd! If they can put a streak of Ws together in the last few games of 2021, they’ll be right up there once again. 1860 have had what can only be described as a rollercoaster season so far. After a worryingly bad start, Die Löwen looked to have turned a corner and were climbing up the table. However, a damming 5:2 battering last weekend in their own backyard to Magdeburg brought them back down to earth. To make matters worse, their veteran striker, Sascha Mölders, took to Instagram this week to announce that he had been informed by the club that he was no longer welcome to train with the first team and would have to do so alone. Since then, the story seems to have changed several times. Members of the club aren’t happy with the forward’s attitude and have claimed he has been focusing on other projects rather than 1860. Alongside his football, Sascha has his own clothing brand and writes columns for media outlets. Will this further derail the club’s season or perhaps galvanize them?
(Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2:2 1860 München)
FC Magdeburg vs VfL Osnabrück
Magdeburg have had a fantastic first half of the season. They’re currently 5 points clear at the top with a game in hand on all of those around them. If they can match this type of form in the new year, they’ll be promoted into the 2. Bundesliga with a few games to spare. The former East German side welcome 7th Osnabrück who could also challenge for a promotion spot. They are just two points from 3rd (a position they have previously occupied). This is set to be a really intriguing battle but a tough one for Osnabrück considering it’s at the MDCC-Arena.
(Prediction: FC Magdeburg 3:1 VfL Osnabrück)
FC Saarbrücken vs Freiburg II
Having won their last three, Saarbrücken currently sit 4th place and are just one point behind 3rd. Uwe Koschinat’s side have had a great first half of the season and look set to challenge for a top-three finish. Since coming up into the 3. Liga a few seasons back, Saarbrücken have equipped themselves well. Now with a new stadium to match, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them reach the second tier in the coming years. Their opponents, Freiburg II, got another crucial three points last time out against Duisburg. It’s a win that now points them into 9th position! I doubt many would have expected that at the start of the season but here we are. I don’t believe they can go on and challenge near the very top but they should be safe if they continue as they are.
(Prediction: FC Saarbrücken 2:1 Freiburg II)
Viktoria Köln vs Eintracht Braunschweig
Despite some impressive wins already this campaign, Viktoria Köln are just 5 points clear of the drop. This may seem healthy for now but, as we know, the table can turn very quickly! Having beaten the likes of Dortmund II and Magdeburg this season, Viktoria Köln won’t fear their opponents. Perhaps they will feel a little bit more confident as they tend to give the ‘bigger teams’ more of a game than most. Braunschweig sit in 2nd with a few teams only one or two points behind them. They’ll need to keep winning if they’re to hold onto this automatic spot. However, I just feel Viktoria Köln will get something here.
(Prediction: Viktoria Köln 1:1 Eintracht Braunschweig)
SV Meppen vs Viktoria Berlin (Sunday)
These two have been some of the league’s most surprising sides thus far. Meppen, who were only spared relegation last year, are in 5th place and just two points off 2nd. Having said this, they are just coming off the back of a 5:0 hammering to second place, Braunschweig. It’s perhaps results like this that will give Viktoria Berlin hope. Now sitting in 11th place, Berlin have stopped their recent rot a little thanks to last weekend’s draw. I’m predicting a close affair in this one.
(Predicition: SV Meppen 1:1 Viktoria Berlin)
Würzburger Kickers vs FSV Zwickau
Having just come down from the second division, you wouldn’t have expected Würzburger to be in 19th position on 16 points. Currently four points from safety, it would be a massive result if they could get three points at home (especially considering Duisburg and Verl are playing one another). Their opponents, Zwickau, are themselves near the bottom and just four points clear of the drop. Often dubbed as the draw kings, that’s exactly what the swans did last time out. This may surprise you but I think we could see a similar result here.
(Prediction: Würzburger Kickers 2:2 FSV Zwickau)
SV Wehen Wiesbaden vs Hallescher FC (Monday)
Matchday 19 finishes with 10th vs 13th respectively. Slap bang in the middle of the league, Wiesbaden don’t look like they’ll be in any danger of dropping into the bottom four nor pushing for promotion. It’s looking like this season could be more of a transition year than anything, especially under recently appointed coach Markus Kauczinski. Halle are a team that often chills out in the middle pack. However, after a few negative results, they’re starting to fall down the league slightly. If they’re not careful, they could end up in a relegation dog fight.
(Prediction: Wehen Wiesbaden 1:0 Hallescher FC)
That concludes our matchday 19 preview in the 3. Liga. Plenty can still change in the remaining half of the season but we’re now beginning to see which clubs are looking like promotion candidates and which are likely to scrap it out down the bottom. It’s also worth noting that Magdeburg and Zwickau will play each other on Wednesday as part of their catch-up match. All the best to your side this weekend!
