Samstag, 2. März 2019

SV Sandhausen - Erzgebirge Aue

Sandhausen to nick the points on home soil

TEAM NEWS
Alexander Rossipal, Maximilian Jansen and Nejmeddin Daghfous are the only injury absentees for Sandhausen while Tim Kister received his fifth yellow card against Cologne and is suspended.

Aue’s Steve Breitkreuz and Dennis Kempe have been ruled out due to injury.

Sandhausen
Suspended: Tim Kister
Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Alexander Rossipal (ankle), Nejmeddin Daghfous (knee), Maximilian Jansen (adductor)

Aue
Suspended: None
Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Steve Breitkreuz, Dennis Kempe (both knee)

MATCH PREVIEW
MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN
If things don’t turn around drastically in the second half of the season, Sandhausen are on their way to Germany’s third division. Since arriving at Hardtwald Stadium back in October, coach Uwe Koschinat has won just two of his 14 league matches in charge, drawing six and losing six. The side were beaten again in their last league outing, falling to a 3-1 defeat away at promotion candidates Cologne. Sitting second-from-bottom, Sandhausen are currently five points from safety.

Aue have been on a mini revival recently. Since a three-match losing streak back in November, the Viola have won three, drawn three and lost three of their last nine league outings. However, the side will have been disappointed with their goalless stalemate at home against rock-bottom Duisburg last weekend. They followed that result up with a 1-0 loss at home against Cologne in midweek.

This is a vital league fixture for the home team. A Sandhausen defeat would leave them with a mountain to climb in their bid to remain in the German second division, but three points would keep their slim survival hopes alive. I will take a risk and back a win for the hosts here.

SECOND PREDICTION: HILO - LOW
Sandhausen have scored only 11 league goals at Hardtwald Stadium so far while Aue have netted just 14 league goals on the road this season. I fancy this to be a low-scoring (under 2.5 total goals) league encounter - similarly to the teams’ last ten league meetings.

HEAD TO HEAD
Sandhausen have lost only once in their last four league meetings against Aue, drawing once and winning twice, including earlier this season when they beat Aue 2-0 away.

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