Will Darmstadt get off to a strong start with its new offense?
The lower leagues are set to kick off this weekend. Germany’s second-highest division is also back in action, and we expect—just as in the past two years—an exceptionally exciting season. On the first matchday, Darmstadt hosts the team from Kiel, and a bet on the home team is rewarded with odds of 2.18 by the top bookmakers. Neither team is certainly among the top contenders for promotion, but they should be able to play a significant role.
The Lilies stayed in the top group for a long time last season before eventually running out of steam. They finished in fifth place. With 52 points to their credit, the Blue-Whites were ten points behind the promotion playoff spot and clearly missed their goal. Now it’s time to make a fresh start with a significantly changed roster. The 98ers suffered a particularly severe loss in their attack, which is why we don’t expect Darmstadt to finish at the very top.
Kiel, having been relegated from the Bundesliga last year, spent a long time fighting to avoid relegation. There was a very real danger of being relegated all the way down to League 3. It wasn’t until the appointment of head coach Tim Walter that stability returned to the Storks’ results. In the battle for promotion, the bookmakers actually rate the visitors higher than the home team.
Darmstadt – Kiel Head-to-Head Record
In the 2. Bundesliga, the two teams have faced each other fourteen times so far. With six wins to two losses, the Lilies hold the edge. Across all competitions, the two teams have faced each other seventeen times, with an overall record of 7-7-3. Last season, the 98ers won 2-0 in front of their home fans and took a point from the Holstein Stadium with a 1-1 draw. Kiel has not won any of the last eight competitive matches between the two teams. In three of the most recent four meetings, fewer than 2.5 goals were scored.
Darmstadt – Kiel Prediction
After missing out on promotion last season, the hosts will have to do without their strong striking duo this season. Both Fraser Hornby and Isac Lidberg, who were responsible for a combined 28 of Darmstadt’s goals, have left the club, leaving a gap that will be difficult to fill. With 57 goals, Coach Florian Kohfeldt’s team boasted one of the league’s strongest offenses. The hosts often put on impressive performances in front of their home fans and were the third-best home team last season. However, Darmstadt has been waiting for a home win for three games now.
Kiel was embroiled in a relegation battle for much of last season. But under Tim Walter, the Storks stabilized and are looking to take the next step this season. We see the visitors finishing at least in the safe mid-table. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to compete at the very top. Kiel also has many new signings to integrate, but the roster appears to be significantly improved compared to last year. It will take a few matches for everything to click into place. Their seventh-place finish in the away standings shows that the North Germans didn’t shy away from challenges on the road last year either.
During preseason, the Lilies remained undefeated, though they faced only lower-division teams. In their final tough test, they drew 0–0 against English second-division side Portsmouth. The Storks also had a successful preseason and only suffered two losses in their last two matches against Bundesliga sides Mainz (0–3) and Hoffenheim (1–3). Predictions in the three-way betting market are, of course, difficult during the first few matchdays. But based on the preseason results, we see the Hessians in good early form.
