Hertha BSC will look to keep their flawless start to the 2. Bundesliga season intact when they travel to face Holstein Kiel on Friday. The league leaders have won all seven of their opening matches, including a 4-1 home victory over Heidenheim, a result that remains their only comfortable win so far this campaign.
Hertha’s recent 2-1 victory against Greuther Fürth extended their winning run, but they have often had to grind out results under pressure. Their trip to bottom-placed Kiel will test their patience once again, as the home side have shown resilience this season despite languishing at the foot of the table. Kiel have conceded fewer goals than most teams, with only six sides shipping less, making them a difficult opponent to break down.
Josip Brekalo’s form has been instrumental for Hertha. The captain has contributed directly to nine goals in the last six matches, scoring four times and providing five assists. Brekalo’s ability to unlock stubborn defenses will be crucial against Kiel, whose coach Tim Walter faces mounting pressure. Walter’s side has avoided defeat in more than half their games, but a recent loss to fellow relegation candidates Eintracht Braunschweig has increased speculation about his future. Walter, who previously managed Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Hull City, managed to save Kiel from relegation last season, but the team remains winless so far this term.
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg and Heidenheim will face off on Saturday in a match between two sides that have struggled to match the early-season form of Hertha and Nürnberg. Both teams started the season with aspirations of a swift return to the Bundesliga but have yet to build consistent momentum. Wolfsburg secured a dramatic 4-4 draw against Nürnberg last week, coming from behind in injury time. The comeback felt like a win for Tobias Strobl’s side, who will be hoping to claim a second victory at the Volkswagen Arena when Frank Schmidt’s Heidenheim arrive.
Nürnberg, who currently sit in an automatic promotion spot, will be aiming to maintain their position ahead of Saturday’s clash with Energies Cottbus. Mohamed Ali Zoma, fresh from his debut with Italy’s senior national team, has been a standout performer for Nürnberg, scoring seven goals this season. His contribution was key in the recent eight-goal thriller against Wolfsburg, which ended in a draw after a flurry of late goals. Cottbus, managed by Claus-Dieter Wollitz, have struggled to hold leads, recently surrendering a two-goal advantage late in a match against Darmstadt. They will be eager to secure their first home win since the opening matchday.
Hannover’s season has not started well, highlighted by a 3-0 defeat to Magdeburg in Sandro Wagner’s first game as a 2. Bundesliga coach. Wagner, a former Germany international and Bayern Munich striker, will make his home debut against St. Pauli on Saturday. St. Pauli have drawn all three of their away games so far and sit four points behind third-placed Heidenheim. The fixture will also be notable for Hannover’s new midfielder Marcel Hartel, who achieved his last promotion to the Bundesliga with the Kiezkicker.
The weekend’s fixtures will provide further clarity on the promotion race and the managerial challenges facing several clubs. Hertha’s quest to maintain a perfect record on Friday and Wolfsburg’s attempt to bounce back at home on Saturday will be among the most closely watched contests.
According to Yahoo Sports.
