Facts and Stats: The Stats Ahead of the Hannover Game

Saturday evening. 8:30pm. Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. This scenario will likely be familiar to anyone whose heart beats for Darmstadt 98. The match against Hannover 96 is already the sixth home game at this time of year for the team from southern Hesse. Of the five previous encounters, Florian Kohfeldt’s team has emerged victorious three times and drawn twice. In fact, Darmstadt 98 is the only team in the top two leagues still undefeated at home. They have recorded ten wins and four draws. In their 14 home games, they have scored a total of 29 goals, and goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen has kept seven clean sheets. Hannover, on the other hand, is particularly impressive away from home. They have scored at least once in every away game and have even scored more than once in eleven of their 14 matches. Only Hertha BSC has a better away record.

The team from southern Hesse scored 50 goals – the most in the current second division season. Hannover has found the net 47 times, but generates the greatest overall scoring threat with an expected goals (EGG) of 59.5. However, Christian Titz’s team has the weakest finishing efficiency. Benjamin Källman is not only Hannover’s top scorer, but also the third-highest scorer in the league. He hasn’t scored in six games, though he only came off the bench in the last two competitive matches. Nevertheless, his 13 goals this season have amply demonstrated his goalscoring prowess.

Both teams have not only consistently showcased their attacking qualities, but have also performed more than adequately defensively. Marcel Schuhen has conceded 32 goals. Hannover has allowed 35 goals, while the league average is 41.

Three players will be unavailable for this match due to yellow card suspensions. Darmstadt will be missing two key players: Isac Lidberg, who has already scored 14 goals for the home side, and Kai Klefisch, a tireless midfielder who averages 12.18 kilometres per game. Hannover will also be without a player. Daisuke Yokota, a winger for Hannover, will also be watching from the stands. This season, he has only been an unused substitute twice and was not even in the squad once – in the first leg against Darmstadt.

SV 98 has won ten of its last 13 competitive matches against Hannover 96, and Darmstadt head coach Florian Kohfeldt also has fond memories of encounters with the Lower Saxony side. He celebrated his first Bundesliga victory against Hannover with Werder Bremen in 2017, and with Darmstadt he has also won all three matches against the current fifth-placed team.

The first game had already provided plenty of excitement. Darmstadt took an early lead at the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena, then conceded two goals before Corredor leveled the score once again. The longer the game went on, the more frantic it became. Both teams were desperate for the three points and increasingly opened up their defences. Then, in the 94th minute: the ball came to Killian Corredor, who backheeled it to Hiroki Akiyama. The Japanese player fired the ball against the inside of the post, from where it bounced into the net. A liberating goal, and so the three points finally made their way to southern Hesse.

Time and again, the ball rattles the opposing goal whenever a Darmstadt player tries to put the ball in the net. The South Hessians have already been unlucky enough to hit the woodwork 16 times. Hannover have struck the crossbar or post just as often. The first game is a prime example. There, the spectators not only witnessed five goals, but also saw the ball hit the woodwork five times – a season record for a single match.

Hannover 96 coach Christian Titz has a clear vision of how he wants his team to play, and this is reflected in the statistics. His players are dominant and, with 56 percent possession, have the most of the ball in the second division. This is also due to their exceptional ball control. Hannover boasts the best pass completion rate in the league at 86 percent.

Three players from southern Hesse are carrying four yellow cards ahead of the match against Titz’s team: Fraser Hornby, Merveille Papela, and Aleksandar Vukotic.