3. Liga Matchday 28: Feature and Talking Points
As expected, it was another enthralling weekend of footballing action in Germany’s 3. Liga. Here is your 3. Liga main feature and all the key talking points from this weekend’s games.
Magdeburg Maintain on Course for a Return to the 2. Bundesliga
Magdeburg made it fourteen games without defeat in the 3. Liga as they look set to win the championship.
Playing away to strugglers, Würzburger, it came as a bit of a surprise when the home side nearly took the lead after just 8 minutes. Herrmann’s impressive header looped onto the post and out. Sometimes when you’re down the bottom, your luck just seems to have run out. After the early scare, FCM got a foothold on the game finally took the lead on the 22nd minute courtesy of Baris Atik. Just before the halftime whistle, Würzburger could consider themselves unlucky once again when Pourié put the ball just centimetres wide. Alas, it was the favourites who went into the break with a one-goal advantage.
Not surprisingly, Würzburger would come to rue those chances. Just five minutes into the second period Atik had his 17th goal of the campaign and Madgeburg’s second. From there, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Kickers. Their fate was then sealed on the 69th minute when Kath converted with his left foot, this time Atik turned provider for Magdeburg.
After FCM’s third, the league leaders took their foot off the gas a bit and got slightly careless in their play. The kickers, to their credit, continued to play and were rewarded on the 74th minute through Kraulich whose header found the back of the net.
Forced into action, it didn’t take long for Magdeburg to restore their three-goal cushion. With just six minutes to go, Ceka’s left-footed strike got the better of the Würzburger keeper. The kickers did get a consolation just minutes later but the result was already sealed.
That was Magdeburg’s 20th win of the season. If they continue to stride in a similar fashion, they could seal promotion and the title by the end of March or early April. For Würzburger, they are still condemned to the bottom four and are still six points adrift having played two games more than most teams around them.
Talking Points
1 - Kaiserslautern are now 13 games unbeaten in the 3. Liga. Their latest victory was perhaps not as straightforward as recent weeks. Hosting strugglers, Verl, many would have thought that the Red Devils would make light work of their opponents. However, when Verl took the lead early in the first half, the shock was well and truly on. Kaiserslautern got a crucial equaliser just before the halftime break before going on to score the winner just 13 minutes from time. The win keeps Kaiserslautern in second, just two points clear of Braunschweig in 3rd.
2 - Türkgücü München’s woes continued on Monday night as they were on the wrong end of a 1:5 hammering at home to FC Saarbrücken. Having recently been deducted 11 points, Türkgücü look set to be relegated from the 3. Liga. Despite taking the lead, Türkgücü looked sloppy in defence and were caught out by some great, fluid football. It’s this clinical nature that has put Saarbrücken in the race for a promotion spot. Both of these clubs are clearly going in different directions and the scoreline certainly reflected that.
3 - Osnabrück’s slender 0:1 win victory at Meppen could set up a winner takes all encounter against 3rd place, Braunschweig. The two were supposed to meet the week before but due to stadium damages after recent storms, the game was postponed. If the two sides continue their winning streaks, it could set up an interesting encounter in a few weeks' time. The match is yet to be scheduled but when it does, it could prove vital in terms of the race for the top three.