When MSV Duisburg play SC Verl on Sunday afternoon, it will be an important match for both teams. SCV is currently in a relegation spot.
On Sunday (18 September, 2 p.m.), MSV Duisburg plays host to SC Verl in Paderborn and wants to get back on the road to success after two defeats in a row. But the task will not be easy. Verl is one of the relegation candidates – just like last year – but coach Michél Kniat’s team has a lot of mentality and is only one point behind the saving shore after eight games. Last season, both direct comparisons ended in draws (2:2, 1:1).
Despite some setbacks this season, such as the last-minute defeats in Saarbrücken and against 1860 Munich, the Verl team is solid and tries to make up for the squad deficits through team unity. This was the case in the 2-2 draw against SV Meppen on Monday evening. The SCV fell behind twice and were able to equalise twice.
We just put in so much effort and showed so much mentality that we deserved this point.
Joscha Wosz after his first goal.
In the 87th minute, Joscha Wosz, nephew of Bochum legend Dariusz, scored the equaliser to make the final score 2-2 and secure the Kniat eleven their fifth point in the still young third division season. “We just put in so much effort and showed so much mentality that we deserved this point. I’m happy that I was able to help the team with this goal,” Wosz emphasised in the Magenta interview after his first professional goal.
However, it is also clear that the Verlers have not had a good start to the season with only one win (3:0 against Zwickau) from eight games. Only Daniel Mikic remains from the 2020 promotion team. Former key players such as Ron Schallenberg (SC Paderborn), Aygün Yildirim (SSV Jahn Regensburg), Lars Ritzka (FC St. Pauli) and Jan Schöppner (1. FC Heidenheim) are now playing in the second division. It was impossible to replace these departures on an equal footing.
Verl remains true to its philosophy
That’s why the East Westphalians once again relied on young players with development potential in their squad planning. With an average age of 23.1, Sportclub has the third youngest squad in the league – after the U23 teams from Freiburg and Dortmund. Former coach Guerino Capretti already declared a year ago that Verl had the “lowest budget in the league”. This season, too, everything will have to fit in order for Verl to stay in the league.
