Union Berlin take on the visitors St. Pauli in the round 2 match of German Bundesliga. The match will be played on Friday, August 30th at Stadion An der Alten Försterei (Berlin).
Last season, Union Berlin had a disappointing campaign, barely avoiding relegation by a stroke of luck. This gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect from the team this season, especially since there weren’t any significant changes during the off-season. In the first round of the new season, Union Berlin faced Mainz in a match that wasn’t particularly impressive and ended in a 1-1 draw. The Berlin team actually created several good chances but struggled with finishing, and the opponent’s goalkeeper played exceptionally well, to be honest. Prior to that, Union had a narrow win in the DFB-Pokal, defeating Greifswald 1-0. It’s also important to note that Union Berlin is dealing with significant absences—four players (Juranović, Roussillon, Stein, Volland) will be unavailable, and Vogt is questionable.
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St. Pauli, a team that successfully earned promotion to the Bundesliga last season, now faces a challenge after losing their head coach Hürzeler, who moved on to Brighton. This is clearly a serious problem for the team. Blessin, who took over as head coach, is now tasked with building a squad capable of staying in the Bundesliga. St. Pauli started their season with a win in the DFB-Pokal, although they only managed to break down Hallescher in extra time. In the first round of the Bundesliga, they faced Heidenheim and lost 0-2. However, it must be acknowledged that St. Pauli actually played better—they had a higher xG and more possession. The team also has some players out due to injury, but they aren’t key figures in the coach’s system.
If I were asked to name a favorite, I would hesitate. Union Berlin probably has a slight edge, but St. Pauli showed promise in their first match against a tough opponent. So, it’s hard to give a clear advantage to either side. Given this, I suggest focusing on the potential for goals. The opening matches in the Bundesliga didn’t hit the over, but there should have been more goals, particularly from today’s visitors. Moreover, both teams tend to be high-scoring, often both scoring and conceding a fair amount. The recent head-to-head meetings also support this logic. Therefore, I’m betting on the over in this match.
Prediction for the match: Over 2.5 scored goals.
