Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Bundesliga match.
Both sides need points to climb back into the top half of the standings after dropping points in the previous round. Hoffenheim have plenty of incentive, as the visitors have lost their last three meetings with Union Berlin.
Union Berlin
Union Berlin followed an opening win over Stuttgart (2:1) by being beaten comprehensively away at Borussia Dortmund (0:3), which dropped the squad to 10th in the standings. The main issue is the defence: the team has not kept a clean sheet in seven consecutive Bundesliga matches. In attack, Union Berlin continue to create: in six of their last eight home games, they scored at least once, and in three of those they hit two or more.
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2:1) on the opening weekend, but then lost at home to Eintracht Frankfurt (1:3). The squad has been efficient in attack, scoring in nine of their last ten league fixtures, and away from home they have failed to score only once in ten matches. However, the defence keeps letting them down, with 20 goals conceded across their last seven outings. Meetings in Berlin have tended to be open, with both teams scoring in four of the last six clashes there.
Union Berlin vs Hoffenheim Prediction
Both sides have made an inconsistent start to the season, and the upcoming match in Berlin is a chance to put things right. Union Berlin will be proactive at home, where the crowd provides strong backing, yet the team still concede regularly. Hoffenheim look lively in attack, but their back line lacks reliability. We expect both teams to score.
