Underdog Climbs to Top on Day 35 - Osnabrück Tops the Leaderboard
Let's dive into the latest happenings in the 3. Liga, shall we?
Last weekend, the stands were buzzing with fans supporting their teams, just like every other week. Here's a lowdown on the away supporters' turnout at the 35th matchday.
With Dynamo Dresden and Arminia Bielefeld edging ever closer to promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, the stakes were high. Dresden clinched a 2:1 victory against SV Sandhausen, while Bielefeld thumped FC Ingolstadt 3:0. This has given Dresden a seven-point lead, and Bielefeld a six-point advantage over Energie Cottbus and 1. FC Saarbrücken, who are currently tied on points.
As for the teams fighting to avoid relegation, a three-way battle is shaping up between Borussia Dortmund II, Waldhof Mannheim, and VfB Stuttgart II. Despite losing 0:4 to Hannover II, Dortmund II remains the frontrunner with 43 points. However, they seem to be feeling the heat. Mannheim and Stuttgart II, both on 40 points, played each other to a goalless draw. Mannheim has a better goal difference, but their schedule looks tougher.
Now, let's talk about the away supporters' story. Despite some considerable distances, the Munich Lions led the way with a 789 km journey to Rostock. The shortest trip was VfB Stuttgart's 113 km trek. Here's a breakdown of the away supporters' turnout:
Hansa Rostock - TSV 1860 Munich: 26,067 spectators / 900 away fans / 789 travel km
SpVgg Unterhaching - Energie Cottbus: 4,725 spectators / 1,900 away fans / 597 travel km
Viktoria Köln - SV Wehen Wiesbaden: 3,482 spectators / 220 away fans / 171 travel km
Dynamo Dresden - SV Sandhausen: 30,446 spectators / 130 away fans / 527 travel km
Rot-Weiss Essen - 1. FC Saarbrücken: 18,507 spectators / 1,750 away fans / 338 travel km
Borussia Dortmund II - Hannover 96 II: 1,541 spectators / 150 away fans / 232 travel km
SC Verl - Erzgebirge Aue: 2,484 spectators / 400 away fans / 463 travel km
FC Ingolstadt - Arminia Bielefeld: 8,363 spectators / 1,500 away fans / 525 travel km
Alemannia Aachen - VfL Osnabrück: 28,745 spectators / 2,900 away fans / 270 travel km
Waldhof Mannheim - VfB Stuttgart II: 19,854 spectators / 350 away fans / 113 travel km
The stands at Hannover 96 II and VfB Stuttgart II, as well as SV Wehen Wiesbaden and SV Sandhausen, were relatively sparsely attended. On the flip side, four clubs managed to muster a four-digit number of supporters, with Munich Lions just missing the mark in distant Rostock.
VfL Osnabrück had the largest away support with 2,900 fans in Aachen, although it didn't lead to a win. Arminia Bielefeld and 1. FC Saarbrücken, however, could celebrate a sizeable following away from home, and Energie Cottbus at least managed a partial success against SpVgg Unterhaching.
In the ongoing rachet for the 3. Liga 2025/26, keep an eye on Dynamo Dresden, Arminia Bielefeld, Energie Cottbus, and 1. FC Saarbrücken for potential promotion, and teams at the bottom for relegation.
- The Munich Lions traveled a considerable distance of 789 kilometers to support their team, Dynamo Dresden, in Dortmund, a city known for its European-league fame.
- Surprisingly,, the shortest travel for away supporters was only 113 kilometers by Waldhof Mannheim fans to visit their rivals VfB Stuttgart II.
- In terms of football matches, the 463 kilometers journey by the SC Verl fans to Erzgebirge Aue proved less rewarding for the team, resulting in a loss.
- Despite being separated by over 400 kilometers, especially in sports like football, Energie Cottbus managed to draw a sizeable crowd away from home, indicating a strong bond between the club and its supporters.
