FC Heidenheim - Arminia Bielefeld

Both teams look evenly matched with draw seeming possible

TEAM NEWS

Heidenheim have been one of the quietest teams in the summer transfer window. The club have brought in young, talented players in the form Niklas Dorsch from Bayern Munich II, Robert Andrich from Wehen and Patrick Schmidt. However, they have lost John Verhoek, Ronny Philp, Kevin Kraus and Marcel Titsch Rivero.

Bielefeld have strengthened their squad with Sven Schipplock from Hamburg, Roberto Massimo from Stuttgart, Joan Simun Edmundsson from Danish team Odense, Nils Seufert from Kaiserlautern, Cedric Brunner from Zurich in Switzerland and Max Christiansen from Ingolstadt. Henri Weigelt, David Ulm, Florian Dick, Christoph Hemlein, Nils Teixeira and Konstantin Kerschbaumer have all left the club.

Heidenheim

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: None

Bielefeld

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: 

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: DRAW

Heidenheim lacked consistency last season, managing just 11 wins and 42 points from 34 games, together with nine draws and 14 defeats. They were only sixth from bottom and very close to the drop zone, with two points separating them from Aue in 16^th. Frank Schmidt’s side must do better this term if they are to avoid being sucked into a desperate fight for survival. They have brought in several players during the summer transfer window. If they cannot gel in the upcoming weeks it will be another difficult campaign for Heidenheim.

Bielefeld enjoyed a superb season after winning 12, drawing 12 and losing ten in 2. Bundesliga. Jeff Saibene’s side made it almost to the playoffs, trailing third placed Holstein Kiel by only eight points. In fact they have lost only two of their last seven away from home (four draws and one win), and that defensive wall means they are very hard to beat, with the team eager to build on that this season again. Reaching for one of the top 4 places would be a tremendous achievement again.

This could be a close game and given that Bielefeld have lost just two road games since late January makes me believe they can hold Heidenheim to a draw.

SECOND PREDICTION: TOTAL GOALS – FOUR 

Two of the last three meetings between these sides have finished with exactly four total goals. With both teams trying to win this encounter I expect them both to be on the scoring sheet and a bet on four total goals seems plausible here too.

HEAD TO HEAD

There have been only three league encounters between these teams in Germany's second division at Voith Arena, with the hosts winning one and drawing two.