1860 Munich look to stretch unbeaten run
TSV 1860 Munich's coach Reiner Maurer stressed that there was still a long way to go this season ahead of his side's first ever match against newly promoted SV Sandhausen on Saturday.
A solid start to the season has seen the Lions remain unbeaten this season, building on a run that stretches back to May, indeed table-topping Eintracht Braunschweig are the only club to have even scored a goal at the Allianz Arena this season in a fiercely contested 1-1 draw last Sunday.
Contrastingly, SV Sandhausen's decent start has tailed off recently as they find themselves without a win in four league matches having lost 2-1 at home to SSV Jahn Regensburg on Tuesday.
With the Lions coming straight off the back of a 2-0 victory at FC Ingolstadt 04 in midweek, fans can be forgiven for being in high spirits ahead of a game most expect to win, a victory here with results going their way elsewhere could see 1860 jump to third place in the league.
"That would be very satisfying," said Maurer but the coach was keen to keep feet on the ground saying, "we are going to have to fight for every ball against Sandhausen. They are not to be taken lightly."
He also pointed to Sandhausen's respectable start to the season, despite their recent dip the 2nd division newcomers can already boast wins against Energie Cottbus as well as 1.FC Union Berlin and an impressive away draw with FC Köln to leave them sitting in 12th place in a table many expected them to be propping up by now.
With no fresh injury concerns 1860 may choose to field a similar line-up to the one that comfortably took the spoils in the Bavarian derby against Ingolstadt.
The match is a 13:00 kick-off at the Allianz Arena with tickets available on the gate and online.
Prediction: 2-0