3rd League: Duisburg consolidates its lead against Mannheim

As of: November 7th, 2025 9:02 p.m

At the start of the 14th matchday in the 3rd league, leaders MSV Duisburg celebrated a win against Waldhof Mannheim.

The Meiderich team won 2-1 (1-0) on Friday evening and are three points ahead of their pursuers Energie Cottbus, who can follow suit on Saturday against VfL Osnabrück. MSV had previously failed to win five league games in a row. Mannheim slipped to tenth place. Conor Noß (20th) and Joshua Bitter (69th) gave Duisburg a 2-0 lead before Mannheim shortened the lead through Terrence Boyd (85th).

After the 0-0 draw at VfL Osnabrück, MSV coach Dietmar Hirsch changed his starting eleven to three positions. Patrick Sussek, Tim Heike and Mert Göckan played for Florian Krüger, Jesse Tugbenyo (both on the bench) and the injured Symalla. At Mannheim, Julian Rieckmann started for the suspended Janne Sietan.

Early “high-profile” players at the beginning

It took almost two minutes for the first opportunity in the game – and Mannheim had it. After Duisburg lost the ball in midfield, Arianit Ferati passed the ball to Kennedy Okpala (2nd), who was denied by the attentive MSV keeper Maximilian Braune from a half-left position in the penalty area.

MSV also missed an early great chance to take the lead. After a long MSV shot, Patrick Sussek (7th) appeared free in front of Thijmen Nijhuis due to a misunderstanding in the Waldhof defense, but was unable to overcome Mannheim’s keeper with a lob from around 13 meters.

Noß meets the MSV leadership

MSV controlled the game and tried to make the game quick – and was rewarded with the lead. After Sussek’s advance into the penalty area on the left side, a deflected pass landed in the middle to Heike, whose shot was blocked. But Noß (20th) rushed from the backcourt and hammered the ball into the top right corner. MSV was lucky that there is no video evidence in the 3rd league because Noß was clearly offside when Heike tried.

MSV then had further field advantages and worked on the second goal, although the accuracy of the last pass was often lacking. After a corner, Joshua Bitter (36′) was completely free to head the ball, but the shot, which was too central, ended up in the arms of Waldhof goalkeeper Nijhuis. In the final phase of the first half, Mannheim, who were offensively pale after the initial phase, came up again. After a cross from the left, Masca (41′) headed the ball just past the right post from the penalty spot, a shot from Okpala (42′) from a tight angle was parried by Braune.

Shortly before half-time, MSV had a good chance through Sussek. The MSV winger won the ball in midfield and dribbled into the penalty area. Sussek (45.+1) hesitated a moment too long when finishing and was decisively disrupted by a push from Mannheim’s Malte Karbstein.

Bitterly extends Duisburg’s lead

Mannheim also had their first chance in the second half. After a Ferati cross hit the second post, Hoffmann put the ball inside back into the middle, where Julian Rieckmann (54th) shot over the goal from a few meters. On the other side, Noß sprinted to intercept a bad pass from Mannheim’s Diego Michel, but both his attempt and Heike’s follow-up shot (60′) were blocked.

A few minutes later the Zebras extended their lead. Göckan played a through pass to Bitter (69th), who moved into the penalty area, let a Mannheim player out with a hook and beat Nijhuis with a low shot from ten meters – even if Mannheim’s keeper was still there. Shortly afterwards, Rasim Bulic (75th) had the chance to make it 3-0, but failed in the duel with Nijhuis.

But Mannheim came close again. Substitute veteran Boyd (85th) scored the goal with a header from a free kick. In the final phase, Waldhof hit cross after cross into the Duisburg penalty area, but the home team defended their lead passionately.

Mandatory tasks in the state cup are coming up

For both clubs there are now mandatory tasks in the respective national cup. Next Sunday (November 16th/1:30 p.m.) MSV will play in the quarter-finals of the Lower Rhine Cup against upper division club SV Sonsbeck. On the following Friday (November 21st/7 p.m.) Duisburg opens the 15th matchday of the 3rd league with the game against promoted team TSG Hoffenheim II.

Mannheim welcomes the regional league team FC-Astoria Walldorf in the last quarter-final of the Baden Cup on Wednesday (12/11/7 p.m.) before Waldhof meets SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the 3rd league (22/11/2 p.m.).

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