Round 13 of League III Group A delivered another entertaining set of results, with several lower-ranked sides picking up valuable points against teams above them. With 50 rounds in the season, we are still relatively early in the campaign—Round 13 represents just over a quarter of the schedule—but the promotion and playoff races are already beginning to take shape.
The prize structure remains clear: 1st place earns direct promotion to League II, places 2nd–9th enter the promotion playoffs, 10th qualifies for the Friendly Cup, and 11th–12th qualify for the King's Cup. There is no relegation from League III.
Toronto FC continue to set the pace
The biggest result at the top of the group came at BMO Field, where Toronto FC defeated Deportes Iquique 3–2.
Toronto entered the match ranked 3rd, while Iquique were ranked 6th, making this a crucial meeting between two sides competing in the upper reaches of the table.
Toronto's victory is particularly important because these are exactly the matches that can make the difference in a 50-round season. A win against another high-ranked opponent not only brings three points but prevents a direct rival from collecting them.
With the season still having 37 rounds remaining, Toronto have put themselves in an excellent position to challenge for the automatic promotion spot.
Atlético Ottawa stun Audax Italiano
One of the round's biggest surprises took place at TD Place Stadium, where 21st-ranked Atlético Ottawa defeated 5th-ranked Audax Italiano 2–1.
On paper, this was one of the clearest mismatches of the round. Audax came in occupying a position comfortably inside the promotion-playoff places, while Ottawa were down in the lower portion of the standings.
Instead, Ottawa produced one of the statement results of Round 13.
For Audax, this is a painful missed opportunity. They remain in the promotion-playoff picture based on their starting position, but dropping points against a team ranked 21st could become costly later in the season.
For Ottawa, however, this could be the kind of result that sparks a turnaround.
AZ Alkmaar held by Pirata FC
At AFAS Stadion, AZ Alkmaar and Pirata FC played to a 1–1 draw.
AZ entered the match ranked 20th, while Pirata were also listed at 20th, making this a more evenly matched contest than several of the other games.
Neither side managed to separate themselves, and the draw leaves both clubs needing to find more consistency if they are going to climb toward the playoff and cup qualification positions.
Excelsior win five-goal thriller
Excelsior Rotterdam defeated PFC CSKA Moscow 3–2 at Van Donge & De Roo Stadion.
The two clubs entered the match around the middle-to-lower section of the table, with Excelsior ranked 17th and CSKA 14th.
The three points are therefore particularly valuable for Excelsior. A victory over a higher-ranked opponent gives them a chance to start moving away from the bottom portion of the standings and potentially work toward the Friendly Cup and King's Cup qualification places.
CSKA, meanwhile, will regret allowing a winnable match to slip away.
Heerenveen earn a much-needed victory
SC Heerenveen defeated Dynamo Moscow 2–1 at Abe Lenstra Stadion.
Heerenveen entered the match ranked 24th, while Dynamo Moscow were 26th.
This was an important battle toward the bottom of the group. With no relegation at stake in League III, these clubs are instead fighting to improve their overall position and potentially escape the King's Cup places later in the season.
Heerenveen's victory gives them three valuable points and, perhaps more importantly, keeps them within striking distance of the teams immediately above them.
Casa Sports make a statement
One of the most impressive results of the round came from Senegal, where Casa Sports defeated FC Akron Tolyatti 4–2.
Casa Sports entered Round 13 ranked 18th, while Akron were ranked 10th.
The six-goal thriller was therefore another example of a lower-ranked team disrupting the established order.
For Casa Sports, scoring four goals against a team sitting in the Friendly Cup position is a major confidence boost. For Akron, the defeat could be costly as they attempt to hold onto that valuable 10th-place qualification spot.
AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur keep rolling
While several high-ranked teams struggled, AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur delivered another important victory.
The 4th-ranked Senegalese club defeated 23rd-ranked ASCE La Linguère 3–2 at Stade municipal de Yoff.
Dakar Sacré-Cœur remain firmly in the upper tier of Group A and are now looking like a serious candidate not only for a playoff place but potentially for the direct promotion position.
The narrow scoreline suggests La Linguère made them work for it, but three points are all that matter at this stage of the campaign.
Palestino defeat Raja
Club Deportivo Palestino defeated Raja 2–1 in another closely contested match.
Palestino entered the match ranked 16th, while Raja were 7th.
This was another major upset based on the pre-match rankings. Raja are in the promotion-playoff zone, making this a particularly damaging result in the race for positions 2–9.
Palestino, meanwhile, can take enormous confidence from defeating a team sitting near the top of the group.
Chaco Petrolero finally find a breakthrough
At Estadio Hernando Siles, Chaco Petrolero defeated Coquimbo Unido 3–2.
Chaco entered the match ranked 9th, placing them directly inside the promotion-playoff positions, while Coquimbo were ranked 13th.
The three points are extremely valuable for Chaco. A victory over a nearby rival helps them consolidate their position in the playoff picture.
Coquimbo, meanwhile, miss an opportunity to close the gap on the teams above them.
Guangzhou Evergrande dominate Viking
One of the most convincing performances of Round 13 came from Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, who defeated Viking FK 8–3 at Karaiskakis Stadium.
That's an extraordinary 11-goal match, and Guangzhou's eight-goal haul was easily the highest attacking performance of the round.
Guangzhou entered the match ranked 8th, while Viking were ranked 2nd, making this arguably the biggest upset of the entire round.
Viking had been sitting in a prime position for the promotion race, but conceding eight goals is a devastating blow. Guangzhou, meanwhile, have announced themselves as a legitimate contender for the top positions.
This could be one of the results we look back on when the season reaches its final rounds.
RB Leipzig held by Köln
At the Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig drew 1–1 with FC Köln.
Leipzig entered the match ranked 19th, while Köln were 15th.
Neither side was able to make a major move up the table, but the point keeps both clubs alive in what is likely to be a crowded middle and lower-table battle.
Union Berlin and Defence Force share the points
The final match saw FC Union Berlin draw 2–2 with Defence Force at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Union entered the round ranked 22nd, while Defence Force were ranked 11th.
For Defence Force, this is another missed opportunity against a team sitting below them. They are right on the edge of the King's Cup/upper-table qualification battle, and every dropped point could matter as the season progresses.
Union, on the other hand, will be encouraged by taking a point against a significantly higher-ranked opponent.
Round 13 at a Glance
| Match | Result | Key Story |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto FC vs Deportes Iquique | 3–2 | Toronto win important top-six battle |
| Atlético Ottawa vs Audax Italiano | 2–1 | Huge upset for Ottawa |
| AZ Alkmaar vs Pirata FC | 1–1 | Evenly matched sides share points |
| Excelsior Rotterdam vs PFC CSKA Moscow | 3–2 | Excelsior beat higher-ranked CSKA |
| SC Heerenveen vs Dynamo Moscow | 2–1 | Heerenveen gain valuable bottom-table points |
| Casa Sports vs FC Akron Tolyatti | 4–2 | Casa Sports produce major upset |
| AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur vs ASCE La Linguère | 3–2 | Dakar remain in promotion hunt |
| Club Deportivo Palestino vs Raja | 2–1 | Palestino shock 7th-ranked Raja |
| Chaco Petrolero vs Coquimbo Unido | 3–2 | Chaco strengthen playoff position |
| Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao vs Viking FK | 8–3 | Match of the round |
| RB Leipzig vs FC Köln | 1–1 | Neither side makes a major move |
| FC Union Berlin vs Defence Force | 2–2 | Defence Force drop points |
Promotion Picture
After 13 rounds, the most intriguing aspect of Group A is the number of high-ranked teams dropping points to clubs below them.
The promotion race is especially important because 1st place is the only guaranteed route directly into League II. Teams finishing 2nd through 9th have a second chance through the promotion playoffs.
That makes the current positions of Toronto FC, AS Dakar Sacré-Cœur, Chaco Petrolero, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao and the other upper-table clubs extremely significant.
Guangzhou's 8–3 demolition of second-ranked Viking is particularly noteworthy. It is the kind of result that can completely change the momentum of a season.
At the other end, the results involving Atlético Ottawa, SC Heerenveen, Casa Sports and Union Berlin demonstrate just how difficult it will be for the teams currently outside the playoff picture to climb. There are still 37 rounds remaining, however, so nobody should be written off yet.
The qualification battle
- 🥇 1st: Automatic promotion to League II
- 🏆 2nd–9th: Promotion playoffs
- 🎟️ 10th: Friendly Cup
- 👑 11th–12th: King's Cup
- ⬇️ No relegation
With 50 rounds in total, the table can change dramatically before the finish line. But Round 13 has already delivered a warning to the teams at the top: there are no easy points in Group A.
⭐ Round 13 Player/Team of the Round: Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao
It's hard to look past Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao after an 8–3 victory over the team that entered the round in 2nd place. Eleven goals, eight for Guangzhou, makes this the standout performance of Round 13 and potentially one of the defining results of the early season.
Round 13 verdict: The promotion race is wide open, and the biggest winners weren't necessarily the teams that started the round highest in the table.
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