Regensburg opened their D2 campaign with a 4-1 victory over Bietigheim Steelers on Thursday evening. The hosts claimed three points from their first match of the season, while the visitors could only manage a defeat on their return to the league.
We had backed the away side, giving them a 48 per cent chance of victory. The match went another way entirely. Regensburg's early pressure told, and Bietigheim struggled to find their rhythm against a side that looked sharper from the opening whistle.
The home team took control before too long. They camped in the final third and didn't let up, while the visitors gave up possession too easily and hit them on the break. By then the result had been effectively decided.
Regensburg sit third in the table after one game, one win, no draws, no losses. Bietigheim are twelfth, with the same record but on the losing side. Both teams have played just once and have zero points on the board — the season is barely underway, so don't read too much into the positions just yet.
Looking back at recent form, Regensburg had mixed results in their last five outings. They beat Black Wings Linz 3-2 and Passau 3-1 before that heavy 5-4 loss to Innsbruck and a 3-0 defeat to Sokolov. Bietigheim came into this game with some decent wins, including a 4-3 victory over Weiden and a 3-0 shutout of Bad Nauheim. But neither run carried through to Thursday.
The 4-1 margin tells the story. Regensburg ended a barren spell against Bietigheim with a convincing display, while the visitors paid for a sloppy opening. The scoreline and the goal difference will be something to remember when this fixture comes around again.
