Dramatic Wins and Tough Losses in 3. Liga Action

15.08.2026 – 19:38

MagentaSport

Dramatic Wins and Tough Losses in 3. Liga Action

München (ots)

The MSV Duisburg is riding a wave of success, showcasing their prowess with a commanding 3:0 victory against Meppen, followed by a thrilling 4:2 comeback against SC Verl where they turned a 0:2 deficit into a win. Coach Dietmar Hirsch remarked, "If it ends positively, that’s fine. Today was dramatic. The substitutes did a fantastic job. I’ve always said I need to moderate my team more than train them, given the quality we have. It worked out well today." Conversely, Orest Shala, the coach of SC Verl, expressed his disappointment, stating it felt "like a bad movie."

In stark contrast, Fortuna Düsseldorf is struggling, having suffered a poor start to the season. After a 1:2 defeat in Mannheim, they faced another setback at home against TSG Hoffenheim II, losing 0:2. Fabian Schleusener commented, "This is the worst-case scenario that could have happened," while coach Alexander Ende was blunt about the team's performance, saying, "It was a poor showing in every aspect." He emphasized the need for the team to regroup and reassess their approach moving forward.

Rot-Weiß Essen managed to secure their first win of the season against TSV Havelse, winning 1:0 thanks to a penalty. Semir Telalovic, the goal scorer, expressed his satisfaction, stating, "We were solid and quite confident today. We’re glad to take the three points, and now we can really get started." Despite the loss, TSV Havelse's coach Samir Ferchichi remained optimistic, noting, "If Rot-Weiß Essen needed a penalty to win, I can’t blame my team too much."

Meppen celebrated a significant milestone, achieving their first home win in the 3. Liga after 1181 days, defeating SG Sonnenhof Großaspach 2:0. Coach Lucas Beniermann shared the joy of the moment, stating, "We enjoyed this first victory together with the team." Meanwhile, Großaspach's Pascal Reinhardt expressed frustration despite a solid performance, saying, "It feels really bad today, but I can’t fault my boys."

The match between SC Verl and MSV Duisburg ended 2:4, with Duisburg's Patrick Sussek reflecting on their comeback: "We knew what was possible coming here, given last year’s win. It’s just crazy. We didn’t play well, yet we managed to dominate the game until the end. That’s impressive for everyone." He credited the red card issued to Paul Lehmann as a turning point that shifted the game in their favor.

Florian Krüger, who scored twice for Duisburg, acknowledged the quality of the team, stating, "There are many true words from the coach. You can see the quality this team has, especially from the bench. It’s a tough job for the coach, and not everyone is always satisfied. But when players come in and perform like this, it shows both sides are doing many things right."

Hirsch reflected on the dramatic nature of the match against Verl, noting, "I said if it ends positively, that’s fine. Today was dramatic. We had to adjust after going down 0:1 due to a set piece. Verl played well, but without creating clear chances. After the red card, we capitalized on the situation and scored some beautiful goals. It was purely a matter of mentality. The substitutes did a great job."

Fortuna Düsseldorf's struggles continued as they faced Hoffenheim II, with Alexander Ende stating, "It was not the performance we needed to take something from this game. We need to quickly turn this around. The first few actions lacked clarity and intensity, and we conceded a goal from a situation where we were too slow to react."

Fabian Schleusener lamented the team's inability to implement their game plan, saying, "We had high hopes after Mannheim but failed to execute today. We need to focus on bringing a winning performance to the pitch."

The 3. Liga continues to serve up dramatic matches, with teams vying for crucial points as the season unfolds. Stay tuned for more action this weekend, including Hansa Rostock against SV Waldhof Mannheim, live on MagentaSport.