Go Ahead Eagles vs RKC Predictions

Both regular season fixtures between these teams were exciting encounters which produced a total of nine goals, but Saturday evening’s 1^st Leg clash at Mandemakers Stadion was a completely different affair. Neither took much of a risk, with avoiding defeat seemingly the main objective, and a 0-0 stalemate inevitably played out with possession equal and just a handful of shots on goal registered. Go Ahead Eagles should now have the edge with home advantage in the 2^nd Leg, but can John Stegeman’s charges seize their opportunity to return to the top flight?

This clash looked a real 50/50 before Saturday’s 1^st Leg in Waalwijk, and there was very little to choose between the two teams over the first 90 minutes. But in the context of the tie overall, RKC would surely have wanted a lead to take to Deventer this Tuesday, and they’ll be disappointed with their lack of ambition and overall performance, considering that they went into the game having won five of their previous six outings at Mandemakers Stadion.

John Stegeman will definitely be the happier of the two managers ahead of this week’s 2^nd Leg, and an away draw in Waalwijk has to go down as a good result for Eagles – particularly as they had just crept their way past Den Bosch on the road a few days prior in a really close contest.

Eagles finished the regular season terribly with four defeats suffered in their last five fixtures, but it seems as though Stegeman’s side were just easing their foot off the gas to prepare for the Play-Offs. Their efforts over the past week or so confirm that they are now a force to be reckoned with once again, and their tactics in those final games, which were effectively dead rubbers, appear to be paying off.

In contrast, RKC ended the regular campaign in really strong fashion and they will still believe that they can pull a result off here, after hammering Eagles 1-4 at De Adelaarshorst in April. They comprehensively outplayed the Deventer outfit that day, but as we’ve previously alluded to, it’s possible that Go Ahead weren’t fully wound up for the task.

RKC earned a gutsy 1-1 draw away to Excelsior in the last round to condemn the Rotterdam side to Eerste Divisie football next term, so it’s clear that Fred Grim’s men are well capable of doing the business outside of Waalwijk on a going day. But their travelling form has been patchy throughout the season and they head into this 2^nd Leg on the back of four defeats from their last nine away matches.

That makes the visitors difficult to support in the match betting here, but we’re also hesitant to throw weight behind Go Ahead at a shade of odds-on, as it’s likely to be another tight game. Considering the result and lack of goalmouth action on in Saturday’s 1^st Leg, Under 2.5 Goals makes plenty of appeal for the return at a decent price, with a 1-0 home victory the pick in the correct score market.