AZ Reserves vs FC Volendam Predictions

Round 27 in Eerste Divisie draws to a conclusion in Alkmaar this Monday evening, as in form Volendam seek to make further inroads towards the Play-offs against Jong AZ. Palingboeren landed a 0-2 success at AFAS Stadion in the 2017/18 campaign, and a similar result here will see Hans De Koning’s side move to within two points of the top nine. With four wins, three draws and just one defeat from their last eight, the visitors are clearly going well and should be difficult to beat here.

An impressive run of results has put Volendam firmly in the mix for the Eerste Divisie Play-offs, and they extended their unbeaten streak to five with a thrilling 3-3 draw against RKC in Waalwijk on match day 26.

Hans De Koning’s men have battled to draws against 2^nd placed Sparta Rotterdam (2-2) and 4^th placed Den Bosch (1-1) in recent weeks, whilst they have also claimed important wins over Helmond Sport (1-0) and Jong Ajax (1-3).

It means they go into this Monday’s clash against Jong AZ with real momentum, and results elsewhere fell pretty kindly for them on Friday night with Almere City the only team in and around them to pick up three points.

Volendam are still unlikely to improve on their 12^th position with a win here as 11^th placed RKC are three points and several goals ahead at present, but victory for Palingboeren will ultimately shift them to within just two points of the Play-off places.

That should really drive the visitors on at AFAS Stadion, and they will welcome taking on weaker opposition after largely facing teams above them since the turn of the year.

Volendam have two wins and a draw from three previous meetings with Jong AZ, and it really is hard to envisage the hosts gaining their first victory over De Koning’s charges despite some positive results of late.

Jong held Den Bosch to a 0-0 stalemate in their last outing at AFAS Stadion a fortnight ago and then managed to beat fellow strugglers Helmond Sport 1-3 on the road last week thanks to a superb hat-trick from Tijjani Rijnders.

Nonetheless, Michel Vonk’s side rarely string unbeaten runs together as their record of 14 defeats from 26 matches this term suggests, and they have been bested seven times from 13 outings in Alkmaar so far this season.

The hosts definitely have the ability to push better teams close on their day and Volendam should by no means take them for granted, but it’s impossible to oppose the visitors in this one at odds-against.

Palingboeren may have lost five of 11 fixtures on their travels this term but they have accrued eight points from their last four on the road, and Jong are arguably the softest opposition they have taken on away from home for some time.

This may well be tight in the early stages but we’re confidently backing Volendam for the win alongside a 1-3 correct score.