Almere City FC vs NEC Nijmegen Predictions

2^nd placed Almere City and 5^th placed NEC clash at Yanmar Stadion in Eerste Divisie this Friday, in what promises to be one of the highlights of match day eight. With both teams in strong contention after excellent starts to the campaign, can either take a giant stride forward in the promotion race this week?

With top side Go Ahead Eagles and 4^th placed Sparta Rotterdam also squaring off this Friday, there looks set to be a bit of shake up at the summit of Eerste Divisie this week. The table is congested to say the least with four teams leading the way on 16 points, and Almere City are in amongst that bunch of clubs.

Michele Santoni’s side kept up their fabulous run of results last week with a hard fought 2-1 home success against RKC Waalwijk thanks to a brace from Nick Vossebelt, and they go into Friday’s fixture brimming with confidence after three consecutive league wins and a home triumph against Dordrecht in the KNVB Beker last week.

Nonetheless, there are a few doubts regarding what City have really achieved this term in notching 16 points from their seven outings.

The five teams they’ve beaten in the league are currently 11^th, 14^th, 15^th, 16^th and 17^th in the table, whilst they failed to beat 9^th placed team MVV at home in a game that ended 2-2 on match day four. Furthermore, Almere’s only defeat this term came at Yanmar Stadion at the hands of Roda JC – a side expected to challenge for promotion this season but who currently sit 7^th in the standings.

It leaves City potentially vulnerable on match day eight against an unbeaten NEC team who’ve had to negotiate stiffer opposition.

Jack de Gier’s charges are 5^th and a point behind City and the other leaders at present, but they’re the only club with a zero in the losses column after gaining four wins and three draws so far.

The Nijmegen outfit have been far from impressive at times as typified by their flaky 4-4 draw at home to Jong PSV on match day five, but their run to date has included a 2-3 away victory at Roda JC and a 1-1 draw with current leaders Go Ahead Eagles last week. De Gier’s men were the better side in that contest and a shade unfortunate to be pegged back by a second half equaliser.

You get the feeling that there’s still plenty more to come from NEC and that they can rise to the challenge this week with their sights set on the top of Eerste Divisie.

They were edged out 3-2 in this corresponding fixture last term but had won the previous three competitive meetings between the teams, and in Sven Braken and Anass Achahbar they have a dynamic strike force that can cause huge problems for the hosts. The pair have six goals apiece already and currently sit joint second in the scoring charts.

NEC haven’t been 100% convincing thus far but that’s factored into their price, and we’re backing the visitors to secure a 1-2 win this Friday to move above Almere in the table.