FC Augsburg Vs Hertha Berlin
Sunday 24 November 2019 – 14:30 Kick-Off
German Bundesliga
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker: Bet365
German Football Betting – 22Bet
(All Betting odds displayed were correct as of 21 November 2019 at 19:30)
Preview: Separated by a point in the standings prior to the latest round of Bundesliga matches getting underway, this looks an evenly-matched fixture on paper between FC Augsburg (15th) and Hertha Berlin (12th). It is also a contest that can be seen live on BT Sport.
FC Augsburg V Hertha Berlin Live Stats & Betting Odds
FC Augsburg Preview – Back-to-back wins incoming?
Almost two months had passed without a Bundesliga win when FC Augsburg (15th – W2 D4 L5, GF13 GA24) showed up in Paderborn a fortnight ago to face the Bundesliga’s bottom club. Securing three points was all important. The performance itself, however, was hardly vintage (xG: PAD 1.07 – 1.06 AUG), whilst also requiring a winning goal from a rare source as defender Philipp Max netted his first of the season to ultimately settle a match of few chances in his team’s favour.
Victory last time out was only a second of the 2019/20 league term for the club nicknamed Fuggerstadter. Their previous was back in mid-September against Eintracht Frankfurt, prevailing 2-1 as hosts. The lack of maximum hauls, lengthy period of time in between, as well as the slender margin of them are illustrative of a team that has struggled for consistency thus far and appears to have an inevitable fight on its hands remaining in the division. A problem area in particular has been the defence.
Only two teams have shipped goals on a more regular basis than Martin Schmidt’s side, on average over two per game (2.18). This whilst keeping a clean sheet on just the two occasions – and neither would come at their WWK Arena. Although this is a team who in their previous two home encounters, defied the odds to claim a valuable point against Bayern Munch (2-2) and were leading up until the final twenty minutes of their clash with Schalke, eventually losing 2-3.
Hertha Berlin Preview – Can Hertha overhaul another bout of poor form?
Another slide down the league table is in motion at Hertha Berlin (12th – W3 D2 L6, GF17 GA21). Defeat at home to RB Leipzig before the international break, losing 4-2 in the German capital, was a third such outcome for Ante Covic and his team in as many games, to go with losses sustained against Union Berlin (1-0) and Hoffenheim (2-3). The good news, though, is that there is positive precedent for this very predicament.
In the early stages of the season Hertha would also embark on run of three successive defeats. The response was admirable, turning their poor form on its head to win three straight Bundesliga matches themselves. Furthermore, all three came against struggling outfits in the shape of Paderborn (2-1), FC Koln (0-4) and Fortuna Dusseldorf (3-1) – teams currently in close proximity to Sunday’s opponents Augsburg.
Clearly, then, Hertha Berlin have displayed a propensity for maximising favourable fixtures. The downside, however, is one win in six as the visiting side (W1 D2 L3). Their sole away clean sheet, meanwhile, was that aforementioned success at Koln, who have the poorest attacking numbers in the league thus diminishing a rare achievement. Any success, therefore, might depend on them scoring a minimum of two goals – something they’ve managed only twice on their travels all season.
FC Augsburg Vs Hertha Berlin Key Facts:
- Augsburg have seen four of their five Bundesliga home games deliver three or more match goals, recording just one victory (W1 D2 L2).
- Hertha Berlin have played six times on the road this season, winning only once (W1 D2 L3) and seeing Over 2.5 Goals land on four occasions.
- Each of the last three Bundesliga meetings have produced a minimum of four goals in the match – arguably more impressive, however, is Hertha going the last nine such encounters unbeaten (W4 D5).
Betting Summary
This feels like a significant fixture for FC Augsburg (13/8 Betfair), a team with only two wins under its belt and currently situated one position above the relegation places. Their opposition are certainly vulnerable, however, the hosts hardly seem primed to capitalise. Wins have been an uncommon occurrence at home this season, registering one thus far (W1 D2 L2), but goals certainly have not – four of five said matches would finish with both teams scoring, while the same statistic applies to three or more goals.
Losing three straight fixtures is far from uncharted territory for this Hertha Berlin (13/8 Betway) side, who would sink to the same depths earlier in the season before subsequently embarking on a winning sequence of their own. They’ve also taken full advantage of some ‘easier’ assignments, winning a number of crucial meetings versus teams situated towards the lower end of the table. Speaking of easy, any potential success will be anything but, not with a defence which has kept one away clean sheet thus far.
A pivotal fixture towards to the bottom of the table, one both teams will be keen and confident of winning in equal measure. Neither defence has excelled this season, keeping a grand total of three clean sheets between them, and so the likelihood of this encounter resulting in a dull affair appears slim.
