German Bundesliga Soccer - Union Berlin vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf, 6/27/20 - Preview, Prediction & Odds
Still fighting to end the season in the relegation play-off spot, Fortuna Dusseldorf go on a crucial trip to Germany’s capital, with the local Union Berlin already safe from the drop-zone this year. Kick-off - at 9:30 AM ET on Saturday, June 27.
Union Berlin Lose In Hoffenheim
A two-game winning streak and an unbeaten run of three games (W2 D1) came to an end for Union Berlin, who were battered with a count of 4-0 by Hoffenheim away at PreZero Arena last Saturday. Having already earned a place in the Bundesliga for the next season, giving No. 1 goalie Rafal Gikiewicz a rare day-off and facing a team still battling for a place in the top-seven, the Berliners were second-best in every aspect, entering half-time already 3-0 down. The Iron Ones are currently sitting 12th in the standings with a W11 D5 L17 record and could finish the season 11th after the very last Matchday of the campaign.
Swedish striker Sebastian Andersson leads Union Berlin with 12 league markers, but will sit out the team’s last fixture of the season after accumulating five yellow cards. Goalie Gikiewicz, meanwhile, is 2nd in the Bundesliga in saves, having stopped 112 shots so far this season. He has recorded seven clean sheets in 32 appearances and gives up a goal every 53 minutes on average. The Berliners are 14th in most goals scored this year (38), 15th in most shots taken per game (11.8), and 2nd from the bottom in both ball possession (43.8%) and passing accuracy (70.5%).
Dusseldorf Retain Hope Of Survival
The chances of Fortuna Dusseldorf to remain in the Bundesliga for the third consecutive season for the first time in almost 30 years improved after the team snatched a 1-1 home draw against Augsburg at Merkur Spiel-Arena last Saturday. Rouwen Hennings had a goal disallowed by VAR at the start of the game before the visitors opened the scoring in the 10th-minute, only for Hennings to finally net his 15th snipe of the season some 15 minutes later to give Die Flingeraner their third point in the last four fixtures (D3 L1). Still residing in the 16th place in the league (W6 D12 L15), Fortuna Dusseldorf can qualify for a relegation play-off matchup even in case of a draw against Union Berlin, providing Werder Bremen, who sit two points behind them, don’t beat Cologne by more than three goals.
German forward Henning’s team-leading 15 strikes are the most any Fortuna Dusseldorf player has scored in the Bundesliga since Thomas Allofs also netted 15 times in 1990-91. Goalie Florian Kastenmeier, meanwhile, sits 19th in the league with 50 saves. He has picked up two clean sheets in 16 games this season and concedes a goal every 51 minutes of play. Die Flingeraner has buried the 2nd lowest quantity of goals during the current campaign (36) while posting the 14th highest number of shots per game (12.2). The team is 15th in ball possession (46.1%) and 11th in passing accuracy (77.4%).
Prediction
A victory in this matchup will give Fortuna Dusseldorf a chance to remain in the Bundesliga for another year through a two-leg relegation playoff against the 3rd-placed team from Germany’s second tier. An easy three points, though, are definitely out of the question here for Die Flingeraner. The team has the worst road record in the whole league (W2 D6 L8), while Union Berlin has been solid at home during their maiden Bundesliga campaign, earning 24 of their 38 points for the season on own turf (W7 D3 L6). A draw, though, is quite a realistic possibility. Alongside RB Leipzig and Schalke 04, Dusseldorf have tied the highest amount of Bundesliga games this season (12), going with seven stalemates in their past 10 outings alone (W1 D7 L2). Most crucially, half of their last six meetings with Union Berlin in Germany’s capital has ended on level terms.
Best bet:
Draw (+260)