German Bundesliga - Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Schalke 04 - Preview & Prediction
With four consecutive draws in the pocket, 16th-placed Fortuna Dusseldorf is still battling for survival, hoping to get a better result against 8th-placed Schalke 04, who have failed to win any of their past nine outings. Kick-off - at 14:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 27.
Dusseldorf Earn Another Stalemate
A fourth consecutive draw was the best Fortuna Dusseldorf managed to muster while facing Cologne, with both teams earning a point each in a 2-2 tie at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday. Die Flingeraner were outshot 15-10 and controlled just 39% of the ball, but witnessed the hosts miss a penalty and were leading 2-0 after the first 61 minutes of play through Kenan Karaman and Erik Thommy, with the Billy Goats eventually tying the proceedings with a couple of markers in the dying minutes of the contest. With a W5 D9 L13 record so far this season, Fortuna Dusseldorf still occupy the 16th place in the league, qualifying for a relegation play-off as it stands, as 17th-placed Werder Bremen sit just three points lower. Die Flingeraner are three points below outright safety.
German striker Rouwen Hennings leads Fortuna Dusseldorf with 11 goals, but has failed to get on the scoreboard in his last 10 appearances. He does, however, sport fond memories of Schalke 04 after banking his first Bundesliga hat trick against the Royal Blues in this season’s reverse fixture - a 3-3 draw - on Nov. 9. Goalie Florian Kastenmeier, meanwhile, ranks 20th in Germany’s top tier in saves, having stopped 35 shots so far this year. He has registered two clean sheets in 10 appearances and gives up a goal every 56 minutes.
Schalke 04 Remain Winless In Nine
Schalke 04 extended their winless run to nine games (D4 L5) after being beaten for the second straight contest following a 3-0 home defeat to Augsburg at Veltins-Arena on Sunday. The Royal Blues enjoyed 71% of ball possession and outshot the visitors 12-9, but managed just two shots on goal to Augsburg’s seven, being kept off the scoresheet for the fifth time in their last six games and for the seventh in their past nine. After losing just four of their first 22 league outings of the ongoing campaign, Schalke 04 have now posted the same amount of defeats in their last five games (D1 L4), currently sitting 8th in the Bundesliga (W9 D10 L8), trailing the top-six by two points.
Both Schalke 04 top scorers of the current Bundesliga campaign - German midfielder Suat Serdar (7 markers) and Moroccan playmaker Amine Harit (6) - are both ruled out of the upcoming contest due to injuries, with Dutch winger Benito Raman hoping to improve on his four-goal contribution thus far this year. Goalie Markus Schubert, meanwhile, sits 21st in the league with 33 saves, has also recorded two clean sheets in eight appearances this season. He concedes a goal every 41 minutes on average.
Prediction
Just like Hoffenheim, who are hosting Cologne in another of Wednesday’s Bundesliga fixtures, Schalke 04 are also entering their upcoming contest without both of their top-scorers. Suat Serdar and Amine Harit, who have bagged 13 of Schalke’s 33 goals between them this season, is both injured, leaving the Royal Blues with little to offer on the attacking end of the pitch. Schalke 04 have scored just two strikes in their last nine matches and will not find it easy away at Fortuna Dusseldorf, who have dropped just one of their last eight contests (W1 D6 L1) and currently find themselves in quite a desperate battle to avoid relegation.
Best bets:
Fortuna Dusseldorf to win (+165)
Fortuna Dusseldorf clean sheet (+230)
Rouwen Hennings to score anytime (+145)
