Darmstadt vs Bochum: who will kick off the season with a win?
On Saturday, August 2, the opening match of the new 2. Bundesliga season will see Darmstadt face off against Bochum. The game kicks off at 13:00 Central European Time. Here’s my betting tip for this clash.
Darmstadt vs Bochum: match preview
Not long ago, Darmstadt was competing in the Bundesliga, but now the team finds itself back in Germany’s second tier. Last season was far from ideal—the club finished 12th, collecting 42 points from 34 rounds, escaping the relegation zone by just seven points. Heading into the new campaign, Darmstadt showed solid commitment: they played five friendlies, winning four and losing just once.
Bochum, meanwhile, had a busier preseason—seven friendlies in total. The team suffered one defeat, drew twice, and celebrated four wins. In their latest test, Bochum fell 0-2 to Bayer Leverkusen. Last season, Bochum played in the Bundesliga but finished bottom and was directly relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Darmstadt has lost only one of their last six matches, winning five.
- Bochum is winless in their last two games—one draw and one defeat.
- Last season, Darmstadt played in the 2. Bundesliga and finished 12th. Bochum was relegated from the Bundesliga.
- Darmstadt has scored at least once in each of their last seven matches.
- The most recent head-to-head between these teams ended in a 2-2 draw.
Probable lineups
- Darmstadt: Schuhen, Riedel, Lopes, Vukotic, Müller, Nürnberger, Klefisch, Kempe, Marseiler, Liedberg, Hornby
- Bochum: Horn, Ehrmann, Medic, Passlack, Bernardo, Wittek, Sissoko, Bero, Pannevig, Masouras, Boadu
Prediction
The start of a new season is always crucial, and both teams will be hungry for a result. I’m expecting an entertaining, high-scoring affair and my pick is over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.63.
