Telstar vs Maastricht Predictions

SC Telstar and MVV Maastricht will both seek to bounce back from disappointing opening day defeats when they clash at Rabobank IJmond Stadion on match day two this Friday.

It’s the hosts who will perhaps feel the most rueful about their poor start – they enjoyed a season of great progress last term to finish 6^th and were only bettered by promoted side De Graafschap 5-6 in a thrilling Play-off tie.

They couldn’t pick up from where they left off though at the start of the new campaign, and never really looked like getting the better of RKC Waalwijk at Mandemakers Stadion where they were eventually beaten 1-0.

And despite MVV’s opening day loss, their visit to Rabobank IJmond Stadion on match day two presents a stiff test for SC in terms of trying to get their first win on the board, as they couldn’t break down Ron Elsen’s charges in both 2017/18 Eerste Divisie fixtures.

Those meetings ended in drab 0-0 stalemates, and with fewer than 2.5 goals a feature of four of this pair’s last six encounters, we could be set for another fairly cagey affair this week.

SC Telstar will be driven nonetheless to at least match the excellent home record that they posted last season under Mike Snoei, where they won ten and drew six of their 19 matches. A repeat, or close to it, will be key if Telstar are to reach the Play-offs again this time around and potentially end their 41 year consecutive stay in the Dutch second tier.

MVV were expected to edge past Oss on the opening night, but they were dismal at De Geusselt and deservedly found themselves on the end of a 0-2 reverse thanks to a brace from Huseyin Dogan.

Elsen’s side simply have to win home games like that if they are to reach the Play-offs for the fourth time on the spin, as their away form generally leaves something to be desired.

MVV lost 12 of their 19 games on the road last term with the aforementioned 0-0 draw at SC Telstar just one of 15 points collected in total away from De Geusselt.

And it’s difficult to envisage them earning anything more than a point at the very best this Friday, considering that they’ve not won here since 2013.

So although we think SC Telstar may struggle to match last season’s fantastic effort, we think they’ll be good enough to steal the three points here.

Despite the likelihood of a low scoring contest, we’re backing them simply to win the fixture, as any SC Telstar and under 2.5 goals double of course goes down should MVV pinch one.

We are influenced by the recent pattern of tight games between these two  in the correct score market, and we think a 1-0 success for the hosts looks the most likely outcome at full time.