With a 3-1 win against SC Verl, MSV Duisburg has taken an important step in the battle against relegation. Striker Daniel Ginczek was finally able to celebrate twice again.

The 3-1 win at SC Verl was not only an absolute relief for MSV Duisburg. Daniel Ginczek has also finally arrived at the Wedau with his brace (32nd, 63rd). A feeling that the 32-year-old had to wait a long time for.

Because the last time the burly center forward scored a brace in the league, the world was a very different place. The new decade had just begun, and the coronavirus pandemic was just around the corner. It was Sunday, February 2, 2020.

At the time, Ginczek was still playing in the Bundesliga – for VfL Wolfsburg. The Wolves traveled to the bottom-of-the-table SC Paderborn for the away game – and won comfortably 4-2. The scorers: Robin Knoche, Maximilian Arnold and, twice, Daniel Ginczek.

Now, 1469 days later, Robin Müller has joined the Arnsberg-born player on the scoresheet. This year, MSV Duisburg is fighting for its third-division survival.

Daniel Ginczek: With Duisburg it’s about avoiding relegation, with Wolfsburg it was about Europe.

Five points separate MSV from the safety line. But the whole truth also includes the fact that sixteenth-placed Hallescher FC still has a game in hand.

Around four years ago, Ginczek was playing for Wolfsburg in the European competition. The win in Paderborn on matchday 20 moved VfL up to ninth place at the time.

In the end, it should even be enough for seventh place and thus for the Europa League qualifying round. In the group stage, Wolfsburg later defeated KS Kukesi (4-1) and Desna Chernigov (2-0) before losing 2-1 at AEK Athens. This meant that VfL missed out on the Europa League.

Ginczek left the Autostadt in the winter of 2022 and joined Fortuna Düsseldorf. He scored twice in the first round of the 2022/23 season’s DFB Cup against fourth-division side Kickers Offenbach.

However, he had to wait a little longer for the same in the league. It wasn’t until the 3-1 win at SC Verl that he not only redeemed himself, but also MSV Duisburg and his fans.