Union Berlin and Hamburger have supplied their fans with proper entertainment in the few rounds since the start, but both sides could benefit from some consistency, as their results have been all over the place.
For a side that relies on defence and counter-attacks in most matches, Union Berlin’s efficiency in the final third has been off the chart. And at the same time, their defence is far from solid. Every match has been similar – Union average 31% possession and prefer to wait for the right moment to strike back. But while they had some success like the recent 4-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, this strategy is rarely that effective and usually costs them points. But we can’t argue that there has been a huge improvement in attack after the Iron Ones finished last season as the third lowest-scoring side in the league.
Meanwhile, Hamburger have been struggling with life in the top flight and needed four rounds to find their first win of the season. In contrast with Union’s performance, scoring goals has been a major issue for the Red Shorts, who failed to score in the first three rounds. It’s clear that Merlin Polzin’s side is not ready to match the level of the elite and it will take time to get adjusted.
How the bookies view it: The Iron Ones to go back-to-back
Hamburger have been underdogs against every single team this season and the gap is once again significant. Bookies offer 19/20 for Union Berlin and give Hamburger 3/1. You can also opt for the draw at 12/5.
Recent head-to-head: Union are unbeaten against Hamburger
Since Hamburger spent most seasons in the elite historically, the teams have had few opportunities to meet in official settings. The only prior time they played in the same league was the 2. Bundesliga in 2018/19. And back then, Union won 2-0 at home and stole a point after a 2-2 draw away from home.
Players to watch: Ilic gave 4 assists last week
For a striker, Andrej Ilic has been quite the playmaker in Union’s team. His performance against Eintracht Frankfurt was sensational, as he picked up four assists in the 4-3 win. And overall, he has one goal and six assists in five games across all competitions this season.
Alternatively, Ilyas Ansah has been phenomenal for the team since he got promoted to the elite with his move to Union from Paderborn. The 20-year-old has scored four goals in four Bundesliga goals.
Probable line-ups
Union Berlin: Ronnow, Leite, Querfeld, Doekhi, Kohn, Khedira, Haberer, Trimmel, Ansah, Burke, Ilic
Hamburger: Fernandes, Elfadli, Vuskovic, Omari, Gocholeishvili, Remberg, Vieira, Muheim, Dompe, Konigsdorffer, Philippe
Anything else catch the eye?
This fixture feels like an optimal opportunity for Union Berlin to grab a rare home win. For reference, the Iron Ones won only three of their last 15 Bundesliga home games. Manager Steffen Baumgart will be watching from afar as he is serving a suspension due to the red card he picked against Eintracht.
But his players should be capable of beating struggling Hamburger and we also expect some goals too. Union’s four matches to date featured 19 goals or 4.75 goals per game on average. With this said, there are multiple valid options like Over 2.5 goals, BTTS, and Over 1.5 goals for Union Berlin.
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