Under new coach Kenan Kocak, Sandhausen would be content with survival in their fifth campaign in the second tier. To that end, the club's pre-season form bodes well: Sandhausen have won six of eight friendlies (W6 D1 L1), including most recently a 3-2 triumph against Saarbrucken.
Sandhausen ended last season in 13th, never in any real danger of going down. I expect Kocak's troops to remain tough to beat in 2016/17, but with a more attacking bent. Improving last term's home form (W6 D5 L6) will also be top of the new coach's priority list.
Fortuna Dusseldorf are looking for an improvement on last season's 14th place this time around. Pre-season form (W6 D2 L1) augurs well, but none of the strikers have impressed, leaving Emmanuel Iyoha the most likely to get the nod in Sandhausen.
Iyoha will likely have to plough a lone furrow: Dusseldorf will be defence-oriented and look to attack on the break. A disappointing away record from last term (W3 D5 L9) will have to improve if Fortuna are to climb the standings, but I expect a better-rounded Sandhausen to prevail.
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