Hertha BSC Berlin travel to face second-placed Eintracht Braunschweig on the third matchday of the 2. Bundesliga, aiming to extend their perfect start to the season. The Old Lady has won all three competitive matches so far and tops the table.
Hertha BSC began the league campaign with a 4-1 home win against 1. FC Heidenheim and continued this positive run. Victory on penalties against 1. FC Saarbrücken in the first round of the DFB-Pokal completed a strong opening phase. The team managed by Pal Dardai is unbeaten in the last six head-to-head fixtures against Eintracht Braunschweig, providing additional confidence for the upcoming task. However, the coach must make one enforced change to his lineup.
Deyovaisio Zeefuik is suspended following his red card in the match against Heidenheim. New signing Mads Pedersen is a potential replacement at left-back. The Danish defender moved from Holstein Kiel to Berlin in the summer and could now get his first league start. Another squad change involves Marten Winkler, who left the club to join RSC Anderlecht.
The opponent Eintracht Braunschweig started impressively with a 6-1 home win against 1. FC Magdeburg. In their two subsequent home matches this season, however, Daniel Scherning's team suffered defeats to VfL Bochum and 1. FC Union Berlin. This mixed record makes the encounter unpredictable. Braunschweig's probable starting lineup features goalkeeper Jasmin Fejzić behind a back four of Brian Behrendt, Jannis Nikolaou, Luc Ihorst and Anton Donkor. Robin Krauße and Jan-Hendrik Marx could operate in midfield.
The current league table and detailed team statistics are available on our stats page. For Hertha, goalkeeper Marius Gersbeck is set to start. In front of him, Linus Gechter and Jonjoe Kenny are likely to form the central defence, supported by full-backs Lukas Klünter and the potential debutant Pedersen. Suat Serdar and Lucas Tousart are anchored in central midfield, while the attack should be carried by wingers Fabian Reese and Haris Tabaković alongside central striker Derry John Murkin.
Another match on the third matchday pits VfL Bochum against VfL Osnabrück. Bochum turned things around after their opening defeat to Hertha Berlin with away wins in the league and cup. Osnabrück, in contrast, started the season with two defeats, including a 3-4 loss to Heidenheim. Historically, Bochum has had the upper hand in the last eight meetings with Osnabrück. The last two games at Bochum's Vonovia Ruhrstadion ended in draws.
The Lilies from Osnabrück face a particular challenge, as their first-round DFB-Pokal tie against FC Bayern Munich awaits after the league game. The full schedule for the 2. Bundesliga can be found on our fixtures calendar. Bochum coach Thomas Letsch is expected to start with Manuel Riemann in goal. The defence could consist of Erhan Mašović, Keven Schlotterbeck, Ivan Ordets and Bernardo. Patrick Osterhage and Kevin Stöger are key in midfield, while Takuma Asano and Christopher Antwi-Adjei provide pace on the wings.
The anticipated starting elevens for the match in Braunschweig show two tactically prepared sides. Hertha's attack, led by Tabaković upfront with quick wingers Reese and Palkó Dárdai, will try to pressure the Braunschweig defence early. On the other side, Braunschweig relies on the striking power of Anthony Ujah, supported by midfielders like Immanuel Pherai.
The complete Hertha BSC squad overview with all player details is available on the squad page. The match between Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Braunschweig takes place on Friday evening at 6:30 PM local time at the Eintracht-Stadion and will be broadcast live on TV. A win would secure Hertha's position at the top of the table, regardless of other results on Saturday.
