SV Darmstadt 98 - FC Magdeburg

Darmstadt to make it back-to-back home wins

TEAM NEWS

Darmstadt’s Rouven Sattelmaier and Selim Gunduz are out with knee injuries while Felix Platte is expected to be sidelined due to foot problems.

Magdeburg boss Jens Hartel will not be able to count on Rico Preissinger, Mergim Berisha and Joel Abu Hanna.

Darmstadt

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Rouven Sattelmaier, Selim Gunduz (both knee); Felix Platte (foot)

Magdeburg

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Rico Preissinger (foot), Joel Abu Hanna (rupture), Mergim Berisha (ankle)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Dirk Schuster’s Darmstadt finally returned to winning ways last time out, having not picked up three points since round four when they beat Heidenheim 1-0 away from home. After that win Darmstadt drew twice and crashed to four defeats on the bounce to slide down the table, but their recent two league matches, a 1-1 draw away at Jahn Regensburg and a 2-0 home win over high-flying Greuther Furth, have shown an uptrend in form. As a result, the Lilies have now climbed into 12^thplace with 14 points to their name.

Since picking up a priceless 1-0 win over Sandhausen at the end of last month, Magdeburg have fallen to back-to-back defeats. After losing 3-0 away at Heidenheim, Jens Hartel’s men were then beaten 1-0 by second placed Hamburg at the MDCC Arena in their most recent league contest. Following their uninspiring start to the season, which has seen them take one win, six draws and four defeats, Magdeburg are now just one place above the drop zone and are level on points with Sandhausen, who are occupying the promotion/relegation playoff spot.

Darmstadt will be buoyed by their stunning victory against Greuther Furth last time out, and I fancy them to follow that up with another win.

SECOND PREDICTION: CORRECT SCORE – 1-0

Defensively, Darmstadt have been very solid of late, shipping just one goal in their last two league matches. They also kept a clean sheet when they met Magdeburg less than three months ago in the German cup, winning 1-0. I would not be surprised if they followed that up with another 1-0 win over these opponents.

HEAD TO HEAD

These teams will meet for the first time in league action.