St Pauli vs Karlsruher SC Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

After an awful start to the 2016/2017 campaign, last season’s 4th place finishers, St. Pauli, are starting to get back on their feet and find some solid momentum – St. Pauli have lost just one of their last seven Bundesliga 2 matches (W3 D3 L1). Last weekend’s 1-1 draw away, against fellow relegation strugglers Arminia Bielefeld, sees them now stand as one of four teams on 18 points between 15th and the bottom of the table – this weekend’s relegation “six-pointer” should prove crucial to their survival chances.

Meanwhile, though Karslruher stand above St. Pauli in the table on goals scored alone, the visitors have won just three matches all season (W3 D9 L9) – the lowest number of any side in the German second tier. Karsruher also head into this off the back of consecutive 2-1 defeats against 1860 Munich and Union Berlin.

St. Pauli are the favourites here at evens with bet365 and we feel there’s decent value in backing the hosts for the following reasons: St. Pauli’s newfound form has seen them pump up their goals per match average (1.33 goals per game over their last six) and even better teams as strong as promotion candidates Eintracht Braunschweig on the road (2-1 win) and 6th placed Dynamo Dresden last time out at home (2-0 win). Notably, St. Pauli’s only defeat in seven matches has been at the hands of league leaders Stuttgart (1-0 loss at home) and the stats show that this was a close affair (50/50 possession and equal shots on goal). Meanwhile, Karlsruher have lost 40% of their matches on the road and their form has been slipping, with just one win in their last 11 Bundesliga 2 outings (W1 D4 L6).

Though there’s only a seven game sample since Pauli’s change in form, Karlsruher’s poor away record has seen them concede an average of 1.33 goals per match on the road. But given that Karlsruher have scored at least one goal in five of their last seven matches on the road (72%), we also feel that both teams to score is a likelihood here (available at 11/10 with bet365). As such, there should be some decent value in backing a 2-1 St. Pauli win at 8/1 here.