Augsburg vs Mainz prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-09-22 13:30.
It was yet another frustrating afternoon last weekend, as a 3-0 defeat for Augsburg extended their winless start to the Bundesliga campaign to four games (D2, L2). That’s not necessarily symptomatic of a collapse out of the league as they survived after an identical start in 2021/22, but after eight consecutive bottom-half finishes, another relegation scrap could soon ensue.
A home return may stimulate some progress from Augsburg, especially seeing as they’ve picked up both of their points here this season and have tasted defeat just once across their previous five games on home soil (W1, D3, L1). Reading between the lines of that form highlights the main cause for concern, with Augsburg needing to work on complacency having squandered a lead in all three draws.
Perhaps a visit from rock-bottom Mainz could remedy Augsburg’s rotten start. The 05ers start is even worse than Augsburg’s, with just one point from their opening four league games (D1, L3), which represents their worst start since they lost each of their opening six games in 2020/21. It may be too early to suggest they’ll find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle as Mainz still managed a 12th-placed finish in that season.
Ending a run of conceding at least twice in each of their last five away league games is most likely a prerequisite for Mainz if they’re looking to get their first three points on the board here. Curiously enough, both of their away league wins in 2023 saw Mainz score exactly three goals, although that’s a feat they’ve not achieved at this particular venue in any competitive H2H since 2016 (W1, L6).
Players to watch: Four of Dion Beljo’s five goals for Augsburg came at home, and each of those home strikes served to open the scoring in each respective game. It was Mainz’s Karim Onisiwo who hit the opener in the corresponding fixture last season, a goal which helped to end his side’s six game winless run of away H2Hs and contributed to his first and only double-figure scoring Bundesliga season (G10).
Hot streak: Augsburg are without a first-half clean sheet in any of their last six competitive games.