NEC Nijmegen vs FC Eindhoven Predictions

NEC’s automatic promotion credentials were dealt a significant blow on match day eight as Jack De Gier’s side went down 1-0 away to Almere City, ending their unbeaten start to the campaign. The result lifted City to the top of Eerste Divisie and left NEC playing catch-up in 5^th, four points adrift of the new leaders. Can the Nijmegen outfit get back on track this Friday when they entertain strugglers FC Eindhoven at Goffertstadion?

NEC were fancied to turn Almere City over at Yanmar Stadion last week, but were left stunned by an eighth minute goal from Italian Eduardo Soleri. NEC dominated the ball but failed to register a shot on target in riposte, meaning the contest ended 1-0 to Michele Santoni’s men who took over from Go Ahead Eagles at the head of affairs.

NEC boss Jack De Gier will have been disappointed at his side’s ineffectiveness in attack considering they’d banged in 16 goals in seven outings this season prior to that game, and the Nijmegen outfit are now playing catch-up in the race for the sole automatic promotion spot in Eerste Divisie.

Nevertheless, NEC are handed a golden opportunity this week to get back on track, as they square off against an FC Eindhoven side who’ve won just one of their first eight league fixtures in 2018/19.

David Nascimento’s team are 17^th after losing five from eight, however things have really started to look up for Blauw-witten over the past fortnight.

Eindhoven registered a shock 0-3 success away to defending champions Jong Ajax on match day seven, and they consolidated that result last week with a respectable 1-1 draw at home to 3^rd placed Twente, courtesy of a stoppage time equaliser from Collin Seedorf.

Toothless in their first half dozen matches, the last couple of weeks have seen a real change in the attitude of Nascimento’s team – and it’s just as well for the 52 year-old who appeared close to losing his job.

So we can expect to see Eindhoven put up a real fight in Nijmegen this Friday with all the pressure on the home side, however we don’t think the visitors have the quality to trouble NEC who haven’t lost at home since the 2016/17 season.

That’s 23 matches unbeaten at Goffertstadion in the second tier with 16 wins and seven draws, and we think win no.17 will be secured on match day nine.

We don’t just want to take the short odds available for an NEC win though, so we’re throwing in both teams to score as well.

That’s been the outcome in both previous league meetings between the teams in Nijmegen, and NEC have conceded in all but one of their eight league starts so far this term. That gives us confidence that Eindhoven can get on the scoresheet after netting four in their last two games, and we think 3-1 in favour of the hosts is a viable choice for the full time score line.