Hamburger SV - FC Heidenheim

Hamburg to make it three wins in a row

TEAM NEWS

Christian Titz’s Hamburg are at full strength ahead of this clash at Volkspark Stadium. Only the long-term injured Gideon Jung, Jairo Samperio and Kyriakos Papadopoulos are absent.

Frank Schmidt’s Heidenheim will have to do without defenders Timo Beermann, Arne Feick and Mathias Wittek.

Hamburg

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Gideon Jung, Jairo Samperio (all knee)

Heidenheim

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Timo Beermann (calf), Mathias Wittek (knee), Arne Feick (ankle)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

After crashing to a 3-0 home defeat in their season opener, Hamburg are starting to find their feet this season. The side have secured back-to-back league wins over the past two league rounds, beating both Sandhausen and Bielefeld 3-0, but their last league outing against Dresden before the international break was postponed. A home league match will be seen by the team as a welcome opportunity to close the gap to early leader Cologne, who are four points above them. 

Frank Schmidt’s in-form Heidenheim were beaten for the first time this season a fortnight ago when they lost 1-0 at Voith Arena to second placed Darmstadt. Prior to that, Heidenheim had seen off Dresden in a 3-1 victory and had drawn 1-1 with Bielefeld and Holstein Kiel, scoring the opening goal in both those matches. Heidenheim are unbeaten on the road with one win and one draw. 

Hamburg have flown out of the gates in their last two league matches this season, scoring their first six goals of the campaign after drawing a blank in the opening league game. I think their fine form is likely to continue this weekend and predict this to finish in a home win.

SECOND PREDICTION: HILO – HIGH 

All of Hamburg's three league matches this season have seen three total goals. Given their fantastic scoring form over the past two rounds and the fact that Heidenheim have found the net in three of their four league games, I predict another high-scoring encounter with at least three total goals.

HEAD TO HEAD

The teams have never played each other before.