St. Pauli vs Hannover 96 Prediction 10.11.2023

• Competition: 2. Bundesliga - 13. Matchday
• Date: Friday, 10th, November 2023
• Kickoff: 17:30 UTC / 18.30 CET
• Venue: Millerntor-Stadion (Hamburg)

Unbeaten league leaders St. Pauli are determined to maintain their position at the top of the table as they face off against third-placed Hanover 96 at the Millerntor Stadium on Matchday 13 of the Zweite Bundesliga this Friday.

St. Pauli firmly keeps their foot on the gas pedal and has no intention of relinquishing the commanding position to any of their pursuers. They showcased their determination last Friday when, after just the first 45 minutes, they settled the matter and outplayed Elversberg away with a routine 2-0 victory. With this success, the team led by Fabian Hurzeler remains unscathed in this term on all fronts, while currently leading the Zweite Bundesliga with 26 points to their name, courtesy of seven triumphs and five draws. Even with these results, it's premature to contemplate a promotion to the top division, as they are separated by a mere five points from the third-placed team.

Occupying that third position is Hannover 96, a team that, in their fifth year in the second German division, appears more determined and prepared than ever to fight for promotion places. However, for Stefan Leitl's players to keep their dreams of returning to the Bundesliga alive, they will need to urgently regain consistency in their form, as they have been on a seesaw for several weeks. Fortunately, Die Roten are heading to the league leaders with a positive momentum after dismantling the bottom-placed side Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0, which brought them their 21st accumulated point, leaving them just three steps behind the coveted second position that secures automatic promotion to the top tier.

St. Pauli vs Hannover 96 Betting Tips: BTTS

With both sides entering the Friday clash with equal chances for success and boasting exceptional firepower in the final third of the pitch, the likelihood of both teams making it onto the scoresheet is high. After initially struggling to turn draws into victories at the beginning of the season (having drawn four out of the opening five rounds), mainly due to their toothless attack, it appears that St. Pauli is growing more secure in the standings and more menacing in front of the opponent's goal as the season progresses. Not only have they gathered an impressive 19 out of a possible 21 points from their last seven league contests (W6, D1), but they have also been consistently rattling the opponent's net an average of three times in that streak. 

Nevertheless, such an open style of play has often taken a toll on their defense, as evidenced by just one clean sheet in their last nine matches on all fronts. Moreover, the defensive department of the Zweite commander of the table will be on a big test, considering that their yard will be visited by the most powerful offensive line of the division - Hanover, who scored 26 goals in 12 games and only once this term did not find a way to the goal. More interestingly, Die Roten's efficient attack combined with a shaky backline has seen each of their seven visits feature a BTTS. Considering all these factors, we believe that both sides will have the capability to find the back of the net at least once.