Union Berlin - VfL Bochum

Union Berlin to claim win against strong visitors

TEAM NEWS

Union Berlin will once again be without the long-term injured Marc Torrejon while Christopher Lenz and Fabian Schonheim are expected to return in due course. However, this league match will come too soon for them. Florian Hubner is suspended.

Bochum are still dealing with long-term absentees Jannik Bandowski, Milos Pantovic, Sebastian Maier, Maxim Leitsch, Robbie Kruse and Thomas Eisfeld.

Union Berlin

Suspended: Florian Hubner

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Marc Torrejon (calf), Christopher Lenz (pulled muscle), Fabian Schonheim (adductor)

Bochum

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Jannik Bandowski, Milos Pantovic, Thomas Eisfeld (all knee); Sebastian Maier (groin), Maxim Leitsch (pubis), Robbie Kruse (adductor)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN  

Union Berlin have been in very good form this term, winning six and drawing ten of their 16 league games thus far. Urs Fischer’s men have been on an incredible run this season, with no other team registering more than their 18 points at home, and they are sitting pretty in third place, six points behind leaders Hamburg and five behind Cologne in second. They held Magdeburg to a 1-1 draw away from home last weekend, with Akaki Gogia scoring their only goal, his fourth this season.

Bochum were brought back down to earth with a bang in their last league outing, falling to a shock 3-1 home defeat against fourth placed St. Pauli. That ended the team's seven-game undefeated run of three wins and four draws, which had seen them shoot up the table. Prior to losing to St. Pauli at Vonovia Stadium, Robin Dutt’s men were occupying fifth place, but they have now dropped down to seventh with four points separating them from Union Berlin in third.

Despite Bochum's recent disappointment, both teams are generally very hard to beat. Union Berlin are the only team yet to lose this term while Bochum have registered only one defeat in seven away league matches (one win, five draws). However, I expect Union Berlin to take the three points on home soil this weekend.

SECOND PREDICTION: CORRECT SCORE – 2-1

Three of the last four league meetings between the pair have finished 2-1 for the respective home side. Put some money on Union Berlin to win 2-1 again this weekend.

HEAD TO HEAD

Bochum’s last win over Union Berlin at Alte Forsterei came in a league meeting back in July 2013. Since then, Union have won all of their four home league encounters.