1.FC Kaiserslautern - SV Sandhausen

Kaiserslautern to register back-to-back home victories

TEAM NEWS

Kaiserslautern have five players on their injury list as Kacper Przybylko, Patrick Salata, Giuliano Modica, Daniel Halfar and Mads Albaek are all absent while captain Christoph Moritz received his fifth yellow card against Holstein Kiel last Friday and is suspended.

Sandhausen will be without Damian Rossbach, Philipp Klingmann, Andrew Wooten and Ken Gibson who are all out due to injury concerns.

Kaiserslautern

Suspended: Christoph Moritz

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Kacper Przybylko (foot), Mads Albaek (pubis); Patrick Salata, Giuliano Modica (both knee); Daniel Halfar (hip)

Sandhausen

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Damian Rossbach, Philipp Klingmann (both head); Andrew Wooten (pulled muscle), Ken Gibson (calf)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Kaiserslautern produced one of last round’s surprise results when they beat third-placed Holstein Kiel 3-1 at home. They put up a very defensive-minded 4-4-1-1 formation and did well to frustrate their opponents to gain the win. Michael Frontzeck’s men had been in very poor form before registering wins in both of their last two games. After their second home win of the season, Kaiserslautern are still sitting at the bottom of the table and are four points adrift, but with one match in hand they are in a position to close the gap to the teams above.

Sandhausen only managed a scoreless draw at home against Braunschweig last Sunday. However, Kenan Kocak’s men head into this match having won three, drawn two and lost one of their last six league games. The team have struggled on the road of late though, losing five of the last seven. They are seventh in the table having accumulated 32 points from 22 games.

Kaiserslautern have been celebrating a revival under new coach Frontzeck, with the 53-year-old winning both of his opening games. The team clearly have the momentum and I’m backing them to claim their second home win on the bounce on Friday.

SECOND PREDICTION: FIRST TEAM TO SCORE – KAISERSLAUTERN

Kaiserslautern have scored the opening goal in each of their last two victories, with both goals arriving within the first four minutes of the games. Furthermore, they have got off the mark first in four of their last five home games against Sandhausen. Back Kaiserslautern to notch the first goal on Friday.

HEAD TO HEAD

Kaiserslautern have won all of their five meetings with Sandhausen at home and have kept clean sheets in the last three.