Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Bundesliga match.
St. Pauli
St. Pauli have had a tough fixture list to start the campaign but have squeezed almost the maximum out of it. The team got a slice of fortune in their home clash with Borussia Dortmund (3:3), where they came back from two goals down late on against ten men, and they showed their counter-attacking edge in the derby win over Hamburg (2:0). From open play, St. Pauli have generated just 2.55 xG, while their three-at-the-back setup often drops into a five when the opposition dominate possession.
Augsburg
Augsburg, meanwhile, have been riding an incredible finishing streak. Despite recording just 1.81 xG over 180 minutes of league football — the fifth-worst figure in the division — they’ve scored five goals. But their reliance on long-range strikes shouldn’t be overestimated. The team will be without Dimitrios Giannoulis (injury), while midfield leader Claude Maurice is still sidelined. New signing Elias Saad, who joined from St. Pauli, has struggled to make an impact so far, offering only an assist in the cup tie against Hallescher (2:0).
St. Pauli vs Augsburg Prediction
Back in February, when crucial points were at stake, St. Pauli and Augsburg played out a drab 1:1 draw. Sunday’s clash looks set to follow a similar pattern, with neither side likely to find three or more goals.
