Prediction: 1. Koln vs Union Berlin in the DFB-Pokal
1. Koln
Union Berlin1. Koln host Union Berlin at Rhein Energie in Cologne on 27 October in Round 2 of the DFB Pokal. Both teams played on 24 October. The hosts enter after two scoreless appearances; the visitors arrive after two consecutive draws preceded by two wins, including a friendly.
Koln: home results offset an attacking slowdown
Recent form and scoring
Koln have one win, two draws and two defeats in their last five matches. That sequence includes a 2:2 friendly against Viktoria Koln.
Strengths and weaknesses
- No goals in the last two outings, following the 0:1 loss at Frankfurt.
- Two goals scored and one conceded in their sole cup appearance: too small a sample to establish a tournament trend.
Availability and selection
Rene Wagner is without Timo Hubers, Thijs Dallinga, Ellyes Skhiri, Rav van den Berg and Imad Rondic through injury; Ragnar Ache is doubtful with a muscle problem. The absences reduce defensive rotation and attacking options. Extensive cup changes are not expected, with Wagner already adjusting his forward selection.
- Schalke 04home0:0
- Eintracht Frankfurtaway0:1
- Borussia Monchengladbachhome2:1
- Viktoria Kolnaway2:2
- Hamburgeraway1:2
Union Berlin: defensive recovery, limited scoring
A steadier October
Union's last five games brought two wins, two draws and one defeat. Seven of those concessions came at Bayern Munich. Since then, they have beaten Rijeka in a friendly and Elversberg, both 1:0, drawn 0:0 with Dortmund and finished 1:1 at Augsburg.
What the results reveal
- Three clean sheets in five matches show the defensive improvement after Munich.
- No more than one goal scored in any of those five games limits their attacking margin.
- The three recent away fixtures yielded one win, one draw and one defeat.
- Their single cup outing produced four goals for and two against, contrasting with the tighter recent fixtures.
Suspension and injury concerns
Felix Uduokhai is suspended and Andrik Markgraf is out with a cruciate ligament injury. Stanley Nsoki, Josip Juranovic, Andrej Ilic and Emmanuel Latte Lath are doubtful. Mauro Lustrinelli therefore has several selection decisions, including in defence. Confirmed probable lineups, formations, league positions and comparative strength figures are unavailable for either team.
- Augsburgaway1:1
- Borussia Dortmundhome0:0
- Elversberghome1:0
- Rijekaaway1:0
- Bayern Munichaway0:7
Past meetings favour Union
Across eight official meetings in five years, Union have four wins to Koln's one, alongside three draws. The aggregate goal count is 11:7 in Union's favour. Five meetings finished Under 2.5 and three featured BTTS. At Cologne, Union won twice, drew once and lost once; the latest encounter overall ended 2:2 in May 2026.
- 02.05.2026Union Berlin2:21. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
- 20.12.20251. Koln0:1Union BerlinGermany. Bundesliga
- 11.05.20241. Koln3:2Union BerlinGermany. Bundesliga
- 20.12.2023Union Berlin2:01. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
- 04.03.2023Union Berlin0:01. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
Coaching context before the cup tie
Pre-match assessments describe Union as entering their best spell of the season under Lustrinelli, after taking just one point from their opening four fixtures. Assessments of Koln remain measured: Wagner's team are considered to be meeting expectations rather than exceeding them. Neither account establishes that the cup will take priority over league commitments.
Our pick: protection against a draw
Koln's home results make Handicap 1 (0) 1.32 our pick for this DFB Pokal tie: they took a win and a draw from their last two games at Rhein Energie. The case is for backing the hosts with a refund if regulation time ends level, rather than requiring an outright victory.
Two consecutive blanks temper confidence in Koln's attack, with Thijs Dallinga and Imad Rondic unavailable and Ragnar Ache doubtful. Union's four-match unbeaten run includes a friendly, while their advantage in recent meetings argues against an aggressive home selection. Yet the visitors scored only three goals across that unbeaten stretch, and Felix Uduokhai's suspension removes a defensive option. Koln therefore have a route to a narrow result without needing a high-scoring performance. A possible score is 1:0 to the hosts.
Final betting view
Handicap 1 (0) 1.32 keeps the home-win upside while returning the stake for a draw after 90 minutes. That protection matters here: Koln's scoring problems make a stalemate a credible risk, and extra time or penalties should not be confused with settlement of this bet.
FAQ
When does 1. Koln — Union Berlin kick off?
The match starts on 27.10.2026 at 15:45 (New York), Rhein Energie (Cologne).
What is the prediction for 1. Koln — Union Berlin?
Our pick is Handicap 1 (0) at 1.32.
What are the teams’ chances?
By market estimate: 1. Koln win — 52%, draw — 25%, Union Berlin win — 23%.
Chances by market estimate
Team form
- Schalke 04home0:0
- Eintracht Frankfurtaway0:1
- Borussia Monchengladbachhome2:1
- Viktoria Kolnaway2:2
- Hamburgeraway1:2
- Augsburgaway1:1
- Borussia Dortmundhome0:0
- Elversberghome1:0
- Rijekaaway1:0
- Bayern Munichaway0:7
Head-to-head
- 02.05.2026Union Berlin2:21. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
- 20.12.20251. Koln0:1Union BerlinGermany. Bundesliga
- 11.05.20241. Koln3:2Union BerlinGermany. Bundesliga
- 20.12.2023Union Berlin2:01. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
- 04.03.2023Union Berlin0:01. KolnGermany. Bundesliga
About the match
- 27 October · 15:45 New York
- Venue: Rhein Energie (Cologne), Këlʹn
- Weather: 15° · precip. 23% · wind 2.5 m/s
Odds
Odds updated 26.10 16:00
Market preference versus recent goal patterns
Koln are the market favourites, with a 52% probability of a home win in 1X2. That is a preference rather than an overwhelming advantage. The market also leans towards Over 2.5 at 57.9% and BTTS at 59%, despite the recent attacking restraint on both sides. All listed markets have remained broadly unchanged over the past 24 hours, with no clear directional move.
Our prediction
- Market
- Handicap 1 (0)
- Current odds
- 1.32
- Confidence
- Our estimate
- 69%
- Market estimate
- 69%
- Stake amount
- 100 $ · 1.32
- Potential win
- 32 $
- Status
- pending
