2. Bundesliga Preview: Hertha hope to maintain perfect record, Osnabrück seek maiden point

The third matchday of 2. Bundesliga will commence with a couple of fixtures on Friday. Hertha BSC will face Eintracht Braunschweig away from home as they hope to extend their winning streak, while VfL Bochum host pointless VfL Osnabrück.

Hertha BSC are unbeaten in their last six head-to-head fixtures against Eintracht Braunschweig. Furthermore, the visitors won their first three games of the season, although they needed a penalty shootout to knock out Pokal specialists Saarbrücken.

Eintracht Braunschweig had a dream start to the season with a 6-1 victory over Magdeburg in the opening 2. Bundesliga matchday before home defeats to Bochum and Union Berlin in two competitions.

Deyovaisio Zeefuik is suspended after his red card in Hertha's 4-1 win over Heidenheim, but new signing Mads Pedersen could fill the position. Meanwhile, Marten Winkler, who was involved in three of the goals back then, has since left the club to join Anderlecht.

Braunschweig: Hoffmann; Aydin, Ehlers, Hoti, Katterbach; Flick; Di Benedetto, Marie; Sturm, Entrup, Opoku

Hertha: Gersbeck; Eitschberger, Gechter, Kolbe, Pedersen; Seguin, Sessa; Thorsteinsson, Gouram, Brekalo ©; Grönning

Days before facing FC Bayern in the DFB-Pokal first round tie, Osnabrück will face Bochum away from home in 2. Bundesliga. The newly-promoted side started their campaign with two defeats, although the positives outweigh the 4-3 defeat to Heidenheim on the opening matchday.

Bochum recovered from a home defeat to Hertha in the season's curtain-raiser with victories on the road in 2. Bundesliga and Pokal. Uwe Rösler's men will now have another chance to keep the momentum as they hope to get involved in the promotion race.

Bochum are unbeaten against Osnabrück in eight meetings, with their last head-to-head fixture dating back to the 2020/21 season. However, the Purple-Whites held Bochum to draws in their last two visits to Vonovia Ruhrstadion.

Bochum: Horn ©; Olsen, Steinwender, Mets, Wittek; Cokaj, Pannewig; Miyoshi, Taz, Rasmussen; Hofmann

Osnabrück: Krumrey; Fabinski, Müller ©, Wiemann; Kammerbauer, Wagner, Jacobsen, Abu Hanna; Kyereh, Badjie; Meißner