Álvaro Hernández
Dailysports's expert
On May 18, the RheinEnergieStadion will host the 34th round match of Germany's 2. Bundesliga, where Koln will face off against Kaiserslautern. For this clash, I'm suggesting a bet on goals / cards / outright winner.
Koln
The team is considered one of the most popular even in Germany. That's despite the fact that, to put it mildly, their recent track record has been far from stellar. Not so long ago, they avoided dropping to the second division only thanks to a successful playoff campaign. Afterwards, they even managed to qualify for the Conference League. But even there, the Germans failed to impress, and as last season wrapped up, they ultimately plummeted into the 2. Bundesliga.
It was crucial for them to bounce back immediately. For a long stretch, Gerhard Struber and his squad looked quite confident. But come spring, they began to stumble—just like most of the league’s frontrunners. In April, they managed to beat only Preussen out of four opponents, and kicked off this month with just a draw against relegation battlers Jahn Regensburg. However, they did secure a 2-1 win away at Nuremberg, holding on to second place and a comfortable gap.
Kaiserslautern
Just a year ago, the club made it to the cup final, reminding everyone of their ambitions. But in general, there hasn’t been much to cheer about in recent years, with the team even spending time in the 3. Liga. Alongside their cup run—which, as expected, ended in defeat to Bayer in the final—their league campaign saw them finish only thirteenth in the second division.
This season, the team has improved, but not enough to realistically challenge for promotion. In April, they suffered three consecutive defeats, but managed to beat Schalke 2-1 at home. After a high-scoring draw with Karlsruhe, they also notched a win against Darmstadt.
Match facts
- Koln have won just two of their last six matches
- On average, Koln score 1.48 goals and concede 1.15 per game
- Kaiserslautern have won two of their last three matches
Head-to-head
Kaiserslautern went unbeaten in five straight matches. But in December, they lost at home 0-1.
Koln vs Kaiserslautern prediction
Bookmakers are backing the home side for the win. Playing at home, Cologne are expected to seal their return to the Bundesliga with a victory (odds – 1.6).
