SV Sandhausen - MSV Duisburg

Sandhausen bounce back

TEAM NEWS

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

Zlatko Janjic and Nico Klotz are still on Duisburg’s list of absentees, but there are no fresh injury worries for Ilija Gruev, while only Enis Hajri will miss out too due to suspension.

Sandhausen

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

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

Duisburg

Suspended: Enis Hajri

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Zlatko Janjic (knee), Nico Klotz (foot)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

With one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five matches, Sandhausen have been inconsistent at best lately and they need to bounce back from their latest disappointing road trip against bottom side Greuther Furth to avoid losing sight of the top six. However, they have won three of their last four home league games, with one draw, and after losing 2-1 to Furth, they now have a great opportunity to get back to winning ways when they face bottom-of-the-table Duisburg.

Duisburg produced one of the surprise results of the weekend at home to Union Berlin in week 12. They lined up a 4-4-2 formation and did well to frustrate Union Berlin to gain a draw. However, Ilija Gruew’s men have been in very poor form at home, failing to win a single game in six attempts.  Sitting in 14^th with a disappointing goal difference of -5, their away form has however been better as they have secured ten of their 13 points on the road. Nevertheless, there have not been many more positives to talk about for them this season, but that draw against Union Berlin may have sparked a rejuvenated spirit amongst the camp.

Nevertheless, Sandhausen have the much better team and they should be able to beat newcomers Duisburg under normal circumstances. Home win.

SECOND PREDICTION: TOTAL GOALS – TWO

Both teams have found it difficult to find the net in previous games, with Sandhausen and Duisburg only scoring eight goals between them in the last five matches. With both sides having a lot of problems in attack and their games averaging a goal total of less than three so far this season, I expect a low-scoring match here with exactly two goals scored.

HEAD TO HEAD

Sandhausen have played twice at home against Duisburg in the 2. Bundesliga and have not been able to win either of them. Duisburg won 2-0 in October 2012 while there was a 2-2 draw in May 2016.