FC Koln vs Bochum prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-03-09 19:30.
Whilst Cologne linger in 12th-place in the Bundesliga after previously struggling to balance the demands of both their European engagements and domestic duties, manager Steffen Baumgart has reportedly been awarded a contract extension due to his solid work at the club across his 69 games in charge to date (W25, D21, L23).
Despite halting a run of back-to-back defeats with a draw against Union Berlin last time out, the Billy Goats are still seeking a first goal in over four-and-a-half hours of league play which serves as Cologne’s longest run since a five-game streak ending in January 2021. The hosts are hot favourites to bounce back against rock-bottom Bochum, yet Cologne’s mere 38% win-rate when fancied by the bookmakers is amongst the worst in the Bundesliga (W3, D3, L2).
Rather damningly, Bochum are enduring an even worse scoreless run than their hosts as they’ve not found the net in over six hours of league play, the Bundesliga’s longest current barren run. Now amid a damaging run of four straight league defeats, Bochum boss Thomas Letsch was defiant in his recent statement that they will “leave at least two sides behind” in the race for survival which could be a fair assessment, as despite Bochum’s rock-bottom status, just one point separates the bottom-five sides.
Provisionally pulling clear of the pack on the road likely won’t be the easiest task for the Bundesliga’s worst-travelling side (W1, L11). Staying solid early on could be key to flipping the form on its head as Bochum have conceded the opener in a league-high ten of their 12 league trips and even more worryingly, haven’t picked up a single point in the games they have done so, losing all ten!
Players to watch: Florian Kainz could be the man to help end Cologne’s scoring drought having contributed to over a third of their league goals this term (G5, A6) including an assist in their last win. Harbouring similar aspirations, Christopher Antwi-Adjei (G2, A6) could be the catalyst for a Bochum scoring revival as one of the only two players this season to hit a hat-trick of assists in a single game.
Hot stat: Bochum have conceded a league-high 14 times after the 75th minute, which is also Cologne’s most profitable interval in terms of goals scored (G8).