German Bundesliga - Augsburg vs. Paderborn - Preview & Prediction

12th-placed Augsburg will be hoping to notch their second consecutive victory when welcoming bottom-dwelling Paderborn, who have gone winless for eight straight games. Kick-off - at 14:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 27.

Augsburg Beat Schalke 04

A five-game losing run on the road finally ended for Augsburg, who banked a 3-0 victory against Schalke 04 at Veltins-Arena on Sunday. Die Fuggerstadter were outshot 12-9 and controlled just 29% of the ball, but took an early lead through an Eduard Lowen free-kick before substitutes, Noah Sarenren Bazee and Sergio Cordova both scored in the last 14 minutes of the match. The win ended a four-game losing streak for Augsburg, who had managed to register just a single point in their six previous outings (D1 L5). They are 12th in the league with a W8 D6 L13 record, sitting six points above the bottom three.

With 11 goals and six assists to his name this season, Florian Niederlechner, who was still playing amateur soccer just a few years ago, currently leads Augsburg’s scoring chart, but has failed to get on the scoreboard in his last seven Bundesliga outings. He has faced Paderborn on two previous occasions, but has failed to score in both of them. Goalie Andreas Luthe, meanwhile, is set for his fifth start this season, having made 10 saves in his previous four appearances, allowing five strikes along the way while also earning a clean sheet.

Paderborn Draw With Hoffenheim

Bottom-dwelling Paderborn recorded their second consecutive draw after settling for a 1-1 tie with visiting Hoffenheim at Benteler-Arena on Saturday. The visitors opened the scoring just four minutes into the contest, with German forward Dennis Srbeny tying the game at 1-1 just five minutes later, tallying from 25 yards out. The team from North Rhine-Westphalia is still looking for its first victory since beating Freiburg 2-0 on Jan. 25, earning just three points from a possible 24 in its last eight fixtures (D3 L5). Paderborn is dead last in the Bundesliga with a W4 D6 L17 record, sitting six points off a relegation playoff spot and nine points below safety altogether.

Since returning to Paderborn from English club Norwich City in January, Srbeny has banked five snipes in 10 contests, leading the team’s scoring chart alongside German-Congolese forward Streli Mamba, who has picked up five markers in 19 appearances. Srbeny has scored four times in his last six games, while Mamba is without a goal for 10 straight Bundesliga contests. Goalie Leopold Zingerle, meanwhile, sits 8th in the league in most saves, having stopped 74 shots in 21 starts, posting four clean sheets on top. He allows a goal every 50 minutes of play on average.

Prediction

Mathematically, Paderborn can still claw themselves out of relegation. Realistically, though, such a scenario is unlikely given the team’s recent performances, which have seen the side from North Rhine-Westphalia go without a win for eight straight games since Jan. 25 (D3 L5). Bundesliga’s worst team has lost its last three trips to Augsburg without scoring a goal and has managed to win just one contest versus Die Fuggerstadter in eight attempts in all competitions (W1 D3 L4). Consider Augsburg’s Florian Niederlechner and Philipp Max for anytime-goalscorer bets as well! Niederlechner is seven games overdue for a league strike despite leading his side with 11 markers so far this year, while Max, who has banked seven snipes this season, has scored three of Augsburg’s league-leading four direct free-kicks during the current campaign.

Best bets:

Augsburg to win (-105)

Augsburg clean sheet (+185)

Florian Niederlechner to score anytime (+155)

Philipp Max to score anytime (+285)