Hannover – Osnabruck
2nd Bundesliga Round 6
Hannover, September 17, 13:30 CET
With four defeats in a row, the Osnabruck team is aware that they will have little chance to threaten Hannover on the road, in the 2. Bundesliga Round 6.
Osnabruck were particularly disappointing in their 1:0 home defeat to Elversberg in their last match on September 3rd. Before that, this team lost to Hansa in Rostock 2:1 away. The team has only one point after five matches in the 2. Bundesliga, and the defeats against Nurnberg in August and Karlsruher at the end of July (both in Osnabruck and both 3:2) showed that this team has serious problems in defense.
On the other hand, Hannover, a team that has previously played in the elite Bundesliga for years, is just reaching the form with which they would compete for a high ranking in the second tier of the German league. The victory over Greuther Furth in the previous round (3:1 away from home) is a guideline for the squad that has two celebrations in a row on the away field in the 2. Bundesliga.
However, the triumph as a host in the 2. Bundesliga Hannover is still waiting (for now, they played a 2:2 draw with Elversberg in the first round at the end of July, then a 1:0 loss to the favorite and probably the best team in the league, Hamburg, in a duel played on August 26). A win against Osnabruck is a near-certain scenario – with potentially more than one goal for the home side this Sunday.
During July, Hannover played well as a host, in friendly matches they defeated the Spanish Villareal, and before that, Duisburg (both matches with a score of 3:0). In the defeat against Hamburg 1:0 (August 26), the team had as many as 19 shots, so it cannot be said that Hannover did not play well against the favorites in that game.
It is expected that against Osnabruck (defensively a much less competent team than the ones against whom Hannover played previously), the hosts will finally express themselves in the attack and give the fans a reason to celebrate. Victory is a must for the team from Lower Saxony, and coach Stefan Leitl and the players know that this duel is an exceptional opportunity – to get close to one of the leading three positions, which would guarantee a further fight for the place in Bundesliga elite.
The home team is not burdened by injuries to important players. In five matches of the 2. Bundesliga this season, the club from Hanover even managed to score more than a goal four times. That will be a certain scenario for this match, against outsiders.
The last time these teams played in Hanover was in February 2021 and the hosts won 1:0. Now the situation is even better in favor of the home team - because Osnabruck is currently one of the worst squads in the 2nd Bundesliga when it comes to the quality of individuals and team play. The young attacker, teenager Nicolo Tresoldi made a crucial contribution in the victory against Gruther Furth in the previous round, with an early goal... And he will have a great opportunity to continue his good goalscoring form for Hannover team.