SC Paderborn - VfL Bochum

Exciting draw at Benteler-Arena on Friday

TEAM NEWS

Steffen Baumgart has a full-strength Paderborn team to choose from when his side host Bochum. The only unavailable player is Massih Wassey with a back injury.

Bochum's Jannik Bandowski and Thomas Eisfeld are working on their comebacks and are unavailable. Sidney Sam saw a red card against Duisburg in round two and is suspended for this league game.

Paderborn

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Massih Wassey (unspecified)

Bochum

Suspended: Sidney Sam

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Jannik Bandowski (knee), Thomas Eisfeld (unspecified)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: DRAW

After suffering an unlucky 1-0 defeat in the opener to Darmstadt, Paderborn have found their form from last season, beating Jahn Regensburg 2-0 on home soil and battling to a draw with Greuther Furth last Saturday afternoon. They have now won one, drawn one and lost one of their first three league matches. Paderborn had been playing with only ten men for the entire second half and found themselves 2-0 down after 84 minutes, but goals from Phillipp Klement and Lukas Boeder earned them a 2-2 draw at Sportpark Ronhof. Paderborn, who were promoted from the 3. Bundesliga last term, have lost just one of their past 20 league and cup matches, along with six draws and 13 wins.

Robin Dutt’s Bochum have responded well after their 2-0 opening day defeat at home to Cologne. After winning 2-0 at Duisburg in the “West Derby” in their second game, they beat Sandhausen 1-0 at home on Friday to close the gap to the top and they are now back in business in the 2. Bundesliga for now. Ignoring the opening match and their early cup exit against a lower league team, Bochum have kept a clean sheet in both their other competitive matches this season.

  

Paderborn have been very competitive on their return to the 2. Bundesliga, and I fancy them to pick up a precious point in this one. My money is going on a score draw on Friday evening.

SECOND PREDICTION: HILO – LOW 

Paderborn's three league matches averaged just over total goals so far while only 1.67 total goals have been scored in Bochum's three. I predict a low-scoring encounter.

HEAD TO HEAD

When these two last met in league action in the 2015-16 season, Bochum did the double over Paderborn, keeping a clean sheet in both. Overall, Paderborn's home record is even against Bochum in the second division with two wins, two draws and two defeats.