Duisburg Extend Perfect Start With Victory at Verl
MSV Duisburg moved to the top of the 3. Liga table with a 4-2 win at VfL Verl in the second round of the regular season on Saturday. The visitors, already unbeaten after four matches, took control after the break when Verl lost their defensive solidity and a disciplinary collapse.
T. Heike gave the hosts an early lead in the eighth minute, but the momentum shifted when Verl were reduced to ten men. P. Lehmann picked up two bookings in five minutes after the restart and was sent off in the 48th minute. By then Duisburg had already equalised through A. Leipold on the stroke of half-time.
F. Kruger seized the moment to fire home twice in quick succession, the first in the 61st minute and the second a minute later. Verl's only reply came through P. Sussek in the 72nd minute, but L. Lobinger added a penalty in the 69th minute to seal the result. The visitors were ruthless on the break.
The statistics told the story of a match decided by three key moments. Duisburg registered 84 attacks to Verl's 59, with nine shots on target compared to four. Verl managed 47 per cent possession but could not convert their chances, while the visitors wasted few opportunities.
The result leaves Verl rooted to 19th place with three points from four games, while Duisburg sit top of the table with 12 points from four wins. Verl's recent form has been poor, but this defeat adds another chapter to a difficult start to the season.