MSV Duisburg - 1.FC Kaiserslautern

Duisburg to take all three points on home ground

TEAM NEWS

Andreas Wiegel is still on Duisburg’s list of absentees, but there have been no fresh injury worries for coach Ilija Gruev.

Kaiserslautern have five players on their injury list as Kacper Przybylko, Patrick Salata, Daniel Halfar and are all absent. In addition, Jan Ingwer Carllsen Bracker faces a suspension after his red card against St. Pauli last time out.

Duisburg

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Andreas Wiegel (meniscus)

Kaiserslautern

Suspended: Jan-Ingwer Carllsen Bracker

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Kacper Przybylko (foot), Patrick Salata (knee); Daniel Halfar (hip)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Duisburg’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread after a 3-2 loss at Braunschweig two weeks ago, which was their third defeat in four matches. The Zebras are still in with a small chance of a spot in the top 3, even though they have slipped seven points behind third-placed Holstein Kiel. Nevertheless, Ilja Gruev’s men have lost just four games at Schauinslandreisen Arena this season.

Despite earning a decent 1-1 home draw with only 10 men against mid-table team St. Pauli before the international break, Kaiserslautern are still in real trouble. The Red Devils are at the bottom of the table going into this one and are eight points from safety. They are  the second worse team on the road, with ten of their 25 points secured on their travels.

Duisburg have lost just one of their last nine league games at Schauinslandreisen Arena, and I fancy the Zebras to take all three points against bottom-of-the-league Kaiserslautern on Saturday. Back the Duisburg win.

SECOND PREDICTION: TOTAL GOALS – THREE 

Both teams have been conceding goals regularly recently and that might result in goals here. In fact, both of Duisburg’s last two matches have seen exactly three total goals while there have been 12 in Kaiserslautern’s last four. I expect three total goals here too. 

HEAD TO HEAD

Duisburg’s 1-0 win at Betzenberg back in October was their first league victory over Kaiserslautern since May 2009.