Hosts Hertha Berlin look to maintain their 100% start to the new Bundesliga season when they take on an Eintracht Frankfurt side that drew their opening match.
Hertha Berlin will be full of confidence following their 4-1 demolition of Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion. Two late first-half goals handed Hertha the lead at the interval, and the visitors added a third shortly after the hour mark. Werder Bremen pulled a goal back, but Hertha responded with a fourth late on.
Friday’s hosts ended last season with four wins from their last five home games, keeping clean sheets in three of those matches. However, their only home defeat during that period arrived against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The four goals scored against Werder Bremen should not have been a total surprise as Hertha only failed to score in one of their last 11 Bundesliga games last season. During that period, the Berlin club netted three or more goals on three separate occasions, finding the back of the net 21 times.
Over 2.5 goals were produced in eight of Hertha Berlin’s final 11 league games of last season, and this time around, they have added another goal-fest in just their first match. Including the win over Werder Bremen last time out, four of Hertha Berlin’s last five league outings have seen both teams score, suggesting that the chances of a clean sheet on Friday look slim.
Eintracht Frankfurt could only manage a draw at home to newly-promoted Arminia Bielefeld in their first match of the campaign. The visitors took the lead early in the second have, but Frankfurt responded well and were back on level terms 11-minutes after going behind.
Frankfurt ended last season in good form with just one defeat in their last eight matches. During that run of matches, Frankfurt only kept one clean sheet and six of those eight encounters ended with both teams scoring. Eintracht Frankfurt look to have continued that form into the new season as they avoided defeat against Bielefeld in a match which both teams scored.
As mentioned above, Frankfurt managed to beat Hertha Berlin when the pair last met, but that is their only win against the Berlin side in the duo’s last five encounters. The pair’s last three meetings, which includes a friendly back in January, have all seen both teams score, and four of their last six meetings have produced over 2.5 goals. Before their defeat to Frankfurt at the end of last season, Hertha had won two and drawn two of their last four encounters with The Eagles.
On the injury news front, Frankfurt look set to be without Evan N’Dicka (sprained ankle) and Ragnar Ache (back injury), while Hertha are unable to call upon Javairo Dilrosun (thigh injury) and Santiago Ascacibar (unknown).
Back at home tonight! 🤩#BSCSGE #hahohe pic.twitter.com/jonC4kqQVC— Hertha Berlin (@HerthaBSC_EN) September 25, 2020
Back at home tonight! 🤩#BSCSGE #hahohe pic.twitter.com/jonC4kqQVC
We’re expecting goals from this game as only one of their last ten league meetings have ended goalless. Hertha Berlin are the favourites to win, and we agree as the hosts should have too much scoring power for Frankfurt to deal with.