SV Darmstadt 98 - SV Sandhausen

Darmstadt to bounce back

TEAM NEWS

Peter Niemeyer, Felix Platte and Daniel Heuer Fernandes are the only players on Darmstadt’s injury list.

Sandhausen will be without Mirco Born, Rick Wulle, Damian Rossbach, Andrew Wooten and Korbinian Vollmann, who are all injury concerns.

Darmstadt

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Peter Niemeyer (heel), Daniel Heuer Fernandes (finger), Felix Platte (unspecified)

Sandhausen

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Mirco Born, Rick Wulle (both knee); Korbinian Vollmann (unspecified), Damian Rossbach (head), Andrew Wooten (pulled muscle)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Darmstadt were involved in a very entertaining 2-2 draw away to Braunschweig before the international break, with Marvin Mehlem and Wilson Kamavuaka registering the goals for them. That result kept Torsten Fring’s men in 11^th position with an even goal difference, having scored and conceded 23. They are coming off a seven-match winless run and that draw – their second in a row – will have given them hope to get back on track in the upcoming weeks. This is a game the home side will want to win and their high goal count in front of their own supporters should help them towards a win here.

Sandhausen have been the surprise package of the campaign so far despite losing the last home game to Duisburg 1-0. Having claimed five wins, three draws and five defeats this season, they are sitting in a respectable sixth place at the moment and Kenan Kocak has formed a well-balanced team who tend to give everything. However, although they have got off to a good start to the campaign, they are now winless in the last four, having lost three of them.

I expect Darmstadt to return to winning ways and register their first win in eight games here.  

SECOND PREDICTION: FIRST TEAM TO SCORE – DARMSTADT

Sandhausen have been the first team to concede in all their last four road games while Darmstadt have scored first in their last two home games. With the hosts seemingly picking up their form, they should be the first to find the net here again.

HEAD TO HEAD

Darmstadt have hosted Sandhausen only once in the 2. Bundesliga in a close game, which they won 1-0 in 2015. Overall, they have won all of their last three competitive encounters.