Bochum take on the visitors Stuttgart in the round 18 match of French Ligue 1. The match will be played on Saturday, January 20th at Vonovia Ruhrstadion (Bochum).
After their return to the top-flight Bundesliga, Bochum doesn't aim for high positions. The main goal is to avoid relegation and stay in the league. While the "unbowed" team fought for survival almost until the end of the previous season, they currently feel comfortable closer to the middle of the table, six points away from the relegation zone. Scoring goals is not an issue for the team; in the last ten rounds, Bochum left the field with a clean sheet only twice. In total, they have scored 19 goals in 17 rounds. They consistently score at home, regardless of the result. For example, let's look at the outcomes of the recent home matches under the guidance of Thomas Reis: draws with Cologne (1-1), Werder (1-1), Mainz (2-2), and victories over Wolfsburg (3-1) and Union (3-0).
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Considering Bochum's attacking activity in home matches, it's unlikely that the Stuttgart goalkeeper will keep his goal untouched. However, the "Swabians" themselves should score at least 1-2 goals in this match, if not more. Despite two consecutive away losses, Stuttgart looks excellent this season. Only Bayer and Bayern are above them in the table. In the last seven matches in the championship, Stuttgart failed to score only in Munich. Meanwhile, they scored against Bayer (1-1), Borussia Dortmund (2-1), and Eintracht (2-1). These are strong opponents, not to mention victories over Werder (2-0) and Augsburg (3-0). Even in the recent defeat in Monchengladbach in the last round, Stuttgart managed to score (1-3).
If we compare the teams' performances in the first half of the season, the visitors are clear favorites who should win. However, everyone knows that Bochum are capable of causing problems to almost any opponent at their home ground. Scoring at least one goal is also highly likely. We expect Stuttgart to score as the favorite. I won't predict the match outcome but will opt for a modest bet on "Both Teams to Score," which should come through without surprises, possibly even in the first half. Last season, for instance, the teams had a total of five shots on target in Bochum's field. The bet is "Both Teams to Score."
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
