Two goal-shy sides, two games in five days: Köln and Union start their double-header
Köln and Union play each other twice in five days, first in the cup tonight and then in the Bundesliga in Berlin on Sunday. Neither side is scoring much. Köln have gone two league games without a goal, and René Wagner was booed after the 0-0 with Schalke. Union have conceded just once in their last three games but have only six league goals all season.
„Am Ende müssen wir ein Tor mehr machen als der Gegner, um weiterzukommen.“ („In the end we have to score one more goal than the opponent to go through.“) – Union coach Mauro Lustrinelli
Predicted lineups: Köln vs Union
Wagner wants „ein paar frische Beine“ („some fresh legs“) but said he will not switch on „die ganz große Rotationsmaschine“ („the full rotation machine“). Köln are without Thijs Dallinga, Ellyes Skhiri, Timo Hübers, Rav van den Berg and Imad Rondić, and striker Ragnar Ache is more likely to return on Sunday. Union are missing Andrej Ilić, Stanley Nsoki, Josip Juranović and Andrik Markgraf. Felix Uduokhai’s red card in Augsburg only counts in the league, but Lustrinelli called him doubtful. The Köln XI below follows come-on-fc’s prediction.
Köln Team News & Preview
Köln are unbeaten at home in the league, with wins over Hoffenheim and Gladbach and draws with Bremen and Schalke. The attack has dried up, though. They lost 1-0 in Frankfurt with nine shots and three on target, and against Schalke they had 14 shots and 62% possession but did not score – El Mala hit the post and Jóhannesson had a goal ruled out for offside. Dallinga’s injury has left them short of a reliable finisher.
The pressure on Wagner is growing. Fans whistled after the Schalke game and some called for him to go. He said simply: „Das wollen wir morgen besser machen und Tore schießen“ („We want to do better tomorrow and score goals“). At least the defence held firm against Schalke, keeping Köln’s first clean sheet of the season.
What works for or against Köln
- Unbeaten in four home league games.
- Kept their first clean sheet of the season against Schalke.
- No goal in their last two league games.
- Dallinga, Skhiri and Hübers are all out long term.
Union Team News & Preview
Union have tightened up after a dreadful start. They conceded at least three goals in each of their first four league games, including 7-0 at Bayern and 4-0 at Leverkusen, but since then they have beaten Elversberg 1-0, drawn 0-0 with Dortmund and drawn 1-1 in Augsburg. That last result was fortunate: Augsburg created 2.24 expected goals to Union’s 0.98.
Goals are still scarce. Union have six in seven league games, the lowest total of tonight’s two sides, and Tim Skarke is their top scorer with two. According to Berliner Zeitung, Lustrinelli wants continuity, and Michel Aebischer, who has started every league game, is certain to play.
What works for or against Union
- Only one goal conceded in their last three league games.
- Six goals in seven Bundesliga games.
- No away league win this season.
- Uduokhai is a doubt despite his ban only applying in the league.
Köln vs Union Odds
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Handicap
Over/Under
Both Teams to Score
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Cologne vs. Union Berlin Stats Comparison
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Cologne vs. Union Berlin Form Guide
Cologne Form, Stats & Data
Köln create 1.60 expected goals per game but score only 1.14, and without Dallinga that gap is unlikely to close quickly. The defence is middle of the road rather than leaky. Left-back Borna Sosa is the best-rated player in the squad, while the forwards have struggled to make their chances count.
Union Berlin Form, Stats & Data
Union’s season averages look awful, but they are distorted by heavy defeats at Bayern and Leverkusen. Since then the side has become much harder to break down. In attack the numbers are poor all season: 1.09 expected goals and 3.9 shots on target per game, with only 42% possession.
Köln vs Union: Prediction & Betting Tip
Köln have not scored in two games and are without their main striker. Union have scored six league goals all season and have just put together three games in which they conceded once. Both coaches also have Sunday’s league meeting in mind, which makes a cautious, tight cup tie more likely than an open one.
Köln’s home games are the main argument against. Hoffenheim scored twice in a 3-2 there, and Köln do create chances, at 1.60 expected goals per game. One early goal could force Union to come out. I still think two blunt attacks and a cautious approach point to a low-scoring game, so I am backing Under 2.5 Goals at 2.18 with Winz and expect a 1-0 home win.