Maastricht vs Almere City FC Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Having failed to win each of their last three, two of which they’ve lost, Maastricht have limped into these play-offs, though they probably won’t be too bothered about that. The fact that they are competing for a chance to play in the top division is all that matters, so they will be looking forward rather than backwards.

As they’ve been blighted by inconsistency, the visitors haven’t exactly been in blistering form of late, though they do come here having won their final league match. After beating Volendam by two goals to nil on their own patch, Almere should be feeling confident ahead of this all-important fixture.

Considering that they face an away team who’ve conceded an awful lot of goals this season, the hosts, who finished the season with the third best defensive record at home, know that this first-leg is a massive opportunity for them to build a lead, though it’s also a good opportunity for them to give little away. The visitors, who’ve scored in nine of their last ten on the road, are more than capable going forward, but Maastricht are a side who’ve done well at home this season against teams such as Almere, especially from a defensive point of view.

On their own patch, Maastricht were tough to beat during the regular this season. They did lose 50% of their matches against the top ten, but if we refine the search and look at teams who finished inside the top ten but outside of the top five, such as Almere, who finished 9^th, Maastricht come across more favourably.

Tuesday’s hosts, who beat Almere 3-0 at De Geusselt earlier in the season, lost just one of their four matches against the other four teams in the bottom half of the top ten, scoring four goals, conceding just two and keeping two clean sheets in the process. Such stats bode well ahead of this match.

Given how they’ve fared against similar teams at home this season, it really isn’t difficult to see the hosts taking an advantage into the second-leg, especially since the visitors have struggled away from home. Almere managed to avoid defeat in just 36% of their away matches. If they perform as they did when losing 3-0 at this venue earlier in the season, then the visitors are likely to go back home with little to show for their efforts.

As far putting the ball in the net goes, Maastricht weren’t as forthcoming as many of the other top ten teams during the regular season, even on home soil, but they were indeed one of the best at the other end, conceding in just 58% of their home matches. Against a side who’re poor on the road, the hosts are backed to gain a routine victory in this first-leg.