The 2023/24 third division season is drawing to a close. There is only one matchday left on the program – also for Borussia Dortmund II and SC Verl.

Many decisions have already been made in the 3rd division ahead of the 38th matchday, which will be played on Saturday: All four relegated teams have been decided (Hallescher FC, MSV Duisburg, VfB Lübeck, SC Freiburg II), plus SSV Ulm 1846 can no longer be ousted from the championship throne.

The recent defeat of Rot-Weiss Essen (0:1 against 1860 Munich) has also made it clear that Preußen Münster and Jahn Regensburg have at least secured relegation and will play out the direct promotion between themselves in a long-distance duel.

Borussia Dortmund II and SC Verl are two teams from North Rhine-Westphalia who have secured relegation in recent weeks. The third division teams never really had to worry throughout the season and showed significant improvement in many areas compared to the previous season.

Particularly curious: BVB II and Verl have played a completely identical season so far. Both teams have collected 53 points after 37 games. And that’s not all: both Dortmund and SCV have won 14 games, drawn eleven and lost twelve. In addition, the goal difference between the two league rivals is exactly the same at 57:52. This is unparalleled in any other German professional league in the 2023/24 season

This oddity only came about thanks to the results of the previous matchday: Dortmund’s U23s lost 2:1 to Ulm and Verl defeated second-placed Preußen Münster 2:0, resulting in this situation in the table.

It will be exciting to see whether everything remains the same after the final matchday: Borussia Dortmund II will travel to Hallescher FC, who have already been relegated, on Saturday (May 18, 1:30 p.m.), while SC Verl will visit champions SSV Ulm 1846 at the same time. Will the NRW clubs finish the season with the same number of points and identical goal difference?