In the Oberliga Niederrhein this season, there could be two different methods of determining the better-placed team in the event of a points tie. RS explains the curious scenario.
Admittedly, it’s an unlikely scenario. But it could happen. It is possible that the goal difference in the Oberliga Niederrhein will determine promotion, but not in the basement of the table. There would be deciding matches here.
The reason for this is this year’s regulations in the event of equal points in the battle for promotion and relegation in the Lower Rhine. Basically, if two or more teams have the same number of points in the fight against relegation or in the race for promotion, there will be a deciding match.
As things stand, this would have no influence in the Oberliga Niederrhein, as no teams in the decisive places are tied on points. However, there is still a possibility that this could happen.
As Thomas Ziehn, Head of Public Relations at the Lower Rhine Football Association, confirms, there would definitely be a deciding round in the relegation battle if two or more teams were tied on points in the fight against relegation.
It would look like this:
Decisive matches with equal points
In the event that several teams have the same number of points in the fight for promotion or relegation, there will be a deciding match this season.
If two teams are tied on points, there will be a first and second leg.
If there are three teams with the same number of points, there will be a round of three in which each team plays one home and one away game. If all three teams end up with the same number of points and goals, the round is repeated. The winner is then eliminated and is saved.
If four teams are tied on points, a knockout round takes place, in which the winner is eliminated and can celebrate relegation.
Curious scenarios in the promotion race
At the moment, it looks very likely that KFC Uerdingen will be relegated to the Regionalliga unless their finances put a spanner in the works. Third place is enough for promotion this season, as only KFC, Germania Ratingen and ETB Schwarz-Weiß Essen have applied for a regional league license.
This means that Sportfreunde Baumberg in first place and SpVg Schonnebeck in second place are not eligible for promotion. However, it is important to note that promotion can only be achieved if the team finishes the season in the top three.
If Ratingen and Uerdingen finish level on points, there would be a deciding round, as in the relegation battle. However, there would still be a curious scenario in theory:
Should VfB Homberg or VfB Hilden actually manage to catch up with KFC Uerdingen and end up level on points, only the goal difference would count, as only one team from the deciding round could be promoted at all.
Clemens Lüning, member of the association’s football committee and deputy chairman of the match operations committee, confirmed this to Forecasting: “A deciding round would make no sense if only one team could be promoted.”
Although this is all pure theory so far, soccer will also write this story at some point. Perhaps in just a few weeks’ time.