Expect a bold start from Braunschweig in Dusseldorf

Bundesliga 2
7.30pm Monday

Eintracht Braunschweig should show no lingering signs of disappointment at missing out on promotion in this Bundesliga 2 opening-round game at Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Braunschweig finished eight places above their hosts in third last campaign, missing out on the top two by one point before losing both playoff legs 1-0 to Wolfsburg. And they have retained the strikeforce of Domi Kumbela and Christoffer Nyman who combined for 26 league goals. They also won 2-1 when the teams met at the Esprit Arena in March and 2-1 at home in September.

Both teams to score looks the bet again at 19-20.

That happened in five of Fortuna’s last eight home league fixtures and they shut out their visitors only five times all told in the 17 home league games.

Four of Braunschweig’s five pre-season friendlies saw both teams net including away games at Waldhof Mannheim and Karlsruhe as well as the 2-2 home draw with Cologne when they recovered from 2-0 down.

And they were a bright attacking side both at their Lower Saxony base and on the road last season before the pressures of a sustained promotion push took hold. They won their first five games including 2-0 triumphs at St Pauli and Erzgebirge Aue. Both teams scored in five of their next eight away league games.

Fortuna failed to beat the keepers of Brighton and Sporting Charleroi in their two home pre-season friendlies but Rouwen Hennings and news signing Emir Kujovic both hit four in an 18-0 rout at Benrath.

And they netted in ten of their last 12 league games last season including five of their last six home outings.

Recommendation
Both teams to score
1pt 19-20 Hills, Ladbrokes