VERL, Germany (Interstat) — Verl 1924 II opened its 3. Liga season with a 3-0 victory over 1860 Munchen II on Saturday at SPORTCLUB Arena, overcoming a projected draw from pre-match simulations.

The home side struck first in the 60th minute when defender Oualid Mhamdi found the net. Julian Stark, also a defender, doubled the lead in the 78th minute. Midfielder Berkan Taz added a third goal to cap the scoring, contributing to a dominant performance that belied the close odds forecast by statistical models. Taz also recorded an assist, while substitutes Killian Jakob and Sean Dulić each chipped in with an assist.

Discipline proved a minor concern for Verl. Jakob received a yellow card in the 54th minute, Taz was cautioned in the 76th, and Dulić picked up a booking in the 89th. Despite the three cautions, Verl kept a clean sheet and controlled the match from the opening whistle.

1860 Munchen II struggled to generate offense and failed to put a goal on the board, falling to 0-1 in league play and across all competitions. The visiting side could not find a rhythm against a Verl defense that limited clear chances. For Verl, the win moved its record to 1-0 in the 3. Liga and 1-0 overall.

The match, played under partly cloudy skies with a light breeze, drew a modest crowd to the 5,200-capacity venue. The win gave Verl an early boost in the standings, while 1860 Munchen II faced an immediate uphill climb.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 final score, and the ELO system gave Verl a 51.30 percent probability to win. Those projections underestimated the home side’s ability to convert its opportunities and shut out the opposition.