Groningen vs AZ Alkmaar Predictions

Defeat to Groningen last weekend saw them slip to the bottom of the Eredivisie table as their woeful start to the new season continued at the Johan Cruijff Arena against Ajax. Sunday’s guests AZ Alkmaar slipped one place in the table as well following their 1-1 draw at home to Feyenoord, due to Heracles continuing their excellent start to the campaign with a 5-3 win over Heerenveen.

Just one goal separated Ajax and Groningen at half time last weekend, Huntelaar’s eighteenth minute penalty, but the hosts dominated the opening forty-five minutes and it could have been two or three goals to the good come the interval.

Once Huntelaar ended any hopes of a Groningen comeback with his second goal of the game in the sixty-sixth minute Ajax played the rest of the game without any pressure, which lead to some great football and ended with another goal and 68% of the overall possession.

Former Southampton favourite Tadić wrapped up a 3-0 win for the hosts in the seventy-sixth minute, no more than Ajax deserved after a truly dominating performance in their own backyard. It’s back to the drawing board for Groningen following a fourth defeat in five matches, and if AZ play anywhere near their best football then the hosts could be waiting another week for their first home win of the season.

Groningen have only scored two goals this season and look to be really struggling in the final third, both from a creative and finishing point of view. With that in mind a strong defensive performance is going to be needed if the hosts are to claim all three points against a free scoring AZ side.

Sunday’s visitors took the lead last weekend against Feyenoord in the fifth minute through Gudmundsson, but the teams went in level at the break after Berghuis netted a fortieth minute equaliser for the away side. Both teams had chances to win the game during the second forty-five, and if one team were going to pinch the victory it looked likely to be Feyenoord who had 52% of the overall possession and twice as many shots on target as AZ, but it wasn’t to be.

That draw wasn’t a bad result for AZ Alkmaar but it does mean they slip a place in the table, and three points are now more of a requirement if the hosts are to move back ahead of Heracles. Boadu has three goals to his name this season, while both Idrissi and Johnsen have two goals apiece, not bad for a team that lost both of its top scorers from last season over the summer.

We’re confident that AZ will win and keep a clean sheet against a Groningen side that have found goals hard to come by so far this season, but only have the visitors winning by one goal to nil. Groningen have failed to score in three of their five league games this season. AZ have scored in all but one of their five league games this season, and the visitors have kept two clean sheets this season and won two games. Groningen have kept one clean sheet and won one game this season, and we can’t see them keeping another against an attack minded side like AZ.