A part of the 1st matchday of the third league season 2023/2024 is completed. There have been few goals to marvel at so far, the games have been close.

After Hallescher FC’s 2-1 win in its opening match over Rot-Weiss Essen, some of HFC’s and RWE’s rivals also started the season on Saturday.

In their first game of the season, promoted VfB Lübeck did not manage more than a draw despite a convincing performance. The score against SV Sandhausen, a team relegated from the second division, was 0-0 after 90 minutes at Lübeck’s Stadion an der Lohmühle.

VfB played strongly against the favorites. Lübeck’s Cyrill Akono finished from close range, but Sandhausen defender Tim Knipping threw himself decisively against the ball (16th minute). A supposed goal by Lübeck (36th) after a corner kick was whistled off before the ball had crossed the line.

The hosts also played convincingly in the second half, Tarik Gözüsirin failed with his turning shot at Sandhausen’s keeper Nikolai Rehnen (69th). The guests increased the pressure in the final phase, but did not get decisively in front of the goal.

Viktoria Köln, meanwhile, took the top spot in the standings at the start of the season. Coach Olaf Janßen’s team won 3-1 (1-1) against SC Verl on Saturday. 1860 München also picked up a three-point win in a 2-0 (1-0) victory over Waldhof Mannheim.

The Viktoria even fell behind at first, but David Philipp (35th), Donny Bogicevic (58th) and Patrick Koronkiewicz (72nd) ensured that they jumped into first place. Right behind them came the Munich Lions, who prevailed after an own goal by Jan-Christoph Bartels (12th) and a goal by Fynn Lakenmacher (56th).

There was also no winner between promoted Preußen Münster and Borussia Dortmund II (0-0) and between Jahn Regensburg and SpVgg Unterhaching (1-1).

Dynamo Dresden defeated second-division relegated Arminia Bielefeld 3-1 in Saturday’s top match and is tied at the top with Viktoria from Cologne. Semi Belkahia (14th, own goal), Stefan Kutschke (36th, penalty) and Niklas Hauptmann (65th) brought jubilation to Dresden. For Bielefeld, Merveille Biankadi (45.+5) had scored the eye-catching intervening goal. Arminia finished the game with ten players after the red card for Kaito Mizuta (67th). wozi with dpa