Newly-promoted Heidenheim and Werder Bremen will do battle at the Voith-Arena on Sunday afternoon in round four of the 2023-24 Bundesliga season.
Both teams have made underwhelming starts to the new campaign and will be looking to get themselves back on track with all three points this weekend.
Match preview
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Werder Bremen claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach when the teams went head-to-head at Borussia Park on September 7.
Ole Werner's men got their noses in front five minutes from time through Justin Njinmah, and that proved to be the all-important moment in a tight affair.
This came off the back of an emphatic 4-0 victory over Mainz which saw Die Werderaner move up to 11th in the Bundesliga table, two points clear of the bottom three and as many adrift of the top half.
On the horizon next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who boast just one victory from the last five editions of this fixture across all competitions.
However, that solitary victory did come in the most recent encounter back in March 2022, when Sunday's visitors were on the receiving end of a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Heidenheim fell to a 3-1 loss against lower league opposition Nurnberg in a friendly matchup between the sides at the Max-Morlock-Stadion two Thursdays ago.
After going behind to Erik Wekesser's opener, Frank Schmidt's men hit back through Christian Kuhlwetter before late goals from Julian Kania and Johannes Geis decided the contest.
Having managed just one point from their three matches so far, Heidenheim sit 15th in the standings, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Off the back of a first home defeat in seven matches in their last home outing, Sunday's hosts now set out to avoid consecutive losses in front of their fans for the first time in almost two years.
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Team News
Christian Kuhlwetter found the back of the net on his return to action for Heidenheim, and the forward could retain his place in the lineup.
Elidon Qenaj is ruled out for the away side through a long-term knee injury, while Marnon Busch remains out of contention through a hip problem.
Twenty-six-year-old Benedikt Gimber was handed a rare start last time out but is expected to return to the bench for this weekend's clash.
Werder Bremen duo Felix Agu and Leonardo Bittencourt are both unavailable through knee injuries, although the former is drawing increasingly closer to a comeback.
Guinea international Naby Keita still awaits his debut for the away side as he continues to nurse a groin injury which he picked up in pre-season.
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Theuerkauf; Thomalla, Maloney; Beste, Beck, Dinkci; Kleindienst
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Pavlenka; Friedl, Stark, Pieper; Jung, Gross, Weiser; Schmid, Stage; Kownacki, Ducksch
We say: Heidenheim 1-1 Werder Bremen
The sides boast similar attacking records heading into this one, and we expect both of them to get on the scoresheet. That said, we are backing a share of the spoils with the teams having to settle for a point in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
