Bochum vs Holstein Kiel prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-09-20 13:30.
[p]After only surviving via the relegation play-off last season, the early signs point to another season of struggle for Bochum. New boss Peter Zeidler already finds himself under a little pressure after overseeing four consecutive defeats to kick off his tenure – three of which came in the Bundesliga – a sequence preceded by an embarrassing DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of second tier side Jahn Regensburg.[/p]
[p]The most recent of those results was a 2-1 loss to Freiburg, when the Blues did at least finally score their first goal of the campaign. Zeidler insists that was a performance his side can “build on,” but the fact that Bochum have won just one of their last seven league outings on home soil (D2, L4) – conceding a whopping 18 goals in the process – inspires little confidence that that first win is just around the corner.[/p]
[p]Such a run of form will provide a boost to newly-promoted opponents Holstein Kiel, who are propping up the Bundesliga table at this early stage of the campaign. Their debut season in the top-flight has been a rude awakening to date, conceding a league-high 11 goals pre-round after being on the receiving end of a 6-1 thrashing against Bayern Munich last week.[/p]
[p]Manager Marcel Rapp was consigned to the stands during the drubbing as he served a touchline ban, but he returns to the dugout at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion. He’ll hope his presence can inspire Kiel to a historic first Bundesliga victory, and this fixture’s history suggests they’ve got every chance having lost just two of the eight league H2Hs (W4, D2).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bochum will be hoping Philipp Hofmann can open his account for the season, given he’s been on the losing side in just three of the last 18 matches in which he has scored (W9, D6). Kiel forward Shuto Machino will be attempting to ensure he’s not on the winning side here – five of his seven goals in German football were the first or last of the game.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: While Kiel are one of two Bundesliga sides yet to score before half-time this season, Bochum are the only team in the division without a goal in the second-half this term.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]