FC St. Pauli - 1.FC Köln

Cologne to march on

TEAM NEWS

Both Jan-Philipp Kalla and Marc Hornschuh, who has already missed the first three league games of the season, remain injury concerns for Markus Kauczinski’s St. Pauli.

Cologne are set to be at full strength when they make the trip to Hamburg this weekend.

St. Pauli

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Jan-Philipp Kalla (pubis), Marc Hornschuh (slipped disc)

Cologne

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: None

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: AWAY WIN

Coach Markus Kauczinski has made a solid start at Hamburg with St. Pauli picking up two wins and suffering only one defeat from their first three 2. Bundesliga games of the new campaign. However, after beating Magdeburg 2-1 and Darmstadt 2-0 in their first two league matches, St. Pauli failed to continue on their winning strea, falling to a 3-2 defeat in extra time against third-tier side Wehen in the cup, before succumbing to a substantial 4-1 defeat away at Union Berlin on Sunday. Following that loss in Germany's capital, the team have slipped into fifth place, one point behind joint leaders Cologne and Union Berlin.

Cologne fired themselves to the top of the table with a clear 3-1 home win against Aue last Saturday. Markus Anfang’s men controlled the game very well while Simon Terodde was awarded man of the match. He scored all three goals and is in outstanding form at the moment. The side, who were relegated last season, are now favourites to win the 2. Bundesliga title.

This promises to be an excellent encounter at the Millentor Stadium between two very good 2. Bundesliga teams. Having said that, though, I believe that Cologne’s form could be the deciding factor in this one, especially as they have striker Terodde in their ranks. I’m tipping a narrow Cologne win.

SECOND PREDICTION: ODD/EVEN – ODD 

This could be a close matchup at Millerntor Stadium, and one goal could be enough to win it. Four of the last six league meetings between the pair have resulted in odd total goals, so back odd total goals to be scored in Hamburg at the weekend, too.

HEAD TO HEAD

Cologne have won three and drawn one of their last four league meetings with St. Pauli. Meanwhile, St. Pauli have not beaten Cologne in league action since 2011 when both teams were still plying their trade in Germany's top flight.