Eintracht Braunschweig - SV Darmstadt 98

Important match for two struggling clubs

TEAM NEWS

Braunschweig’s two key strikers Domi Kumbela and Christoffer Nyman are out injured while Mirko Boland and Joseph Baffo have suffered a knee injury and are unavailable for this game.

Darmstadt’s Peter Niemeyer and Daniel Heuer Fernandes are the only players on their injury list. In addition, they will be without Hamit Altintop who is suspended after seeing his fifth yellow card against Holstein Kiel.

Braunschweig

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Mirko Boland, Joseph Baffo (both knee); Domi Kumbela (unspecified), Christoffer Nyman (calf)

Darmstadt

Suspended: Hamit Altintop

Doubtful: None

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

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Braunschweig’s excellent home record of three wins, two draws and just one defeat looks likely to be extended with the visit of fellow mid-table team Darmstadt. Nevertheless, Braunschweig have not had the best run lately, with just one win and two draws in their last five, and they will need to start converting those draws into victories soon in order to be in with a chance to close the gap to the top. Overall, the team are unbeaten in the last three, drawing 1-1 at Dresden last weekend, but they will need to start scoring more goals as three in their last five makes it difficult to win matches.

Darmstadt are a team who have been struggling lately – in their six previous games they have failed to record a single win. That leaves them in 11^th position on the table. However, they posted a 1-1 draw at home against high-flying Holstein Kiel last time out.

Darmstadt will be concerned at the prospects of travelling to Braunschweig this weekend as they have lost all of the last three games there. With that in mind and given Braunschweig’s good home record this season, I’ll back another win for the hosts.

SECOND PREDICTION: HALF TIME HAD – DRAW

With both teams unable to claim many wins recently, they will have to improve considerably, but both have been nervous at the beginnng of their games and have mainly been focusing on safety in the first half. In fact, just three goals in Braunschweig’s last five matches have arrived before the break while Darmstadt have netted only one first-half goal in the last two matches. A draw therefore seems a good choice at half time.

HEAD TO HEAD

Braunschweig have the edge in this head-to-head, winning four of the last six encounters and clinching one draw. However, Darmstadt won the most recent meeting in 2015, clinching a 1-0 victory at home.