Ajax vs FC Emmen Predictions

Ajax picked up their first win of the new Eredivisie season, but before they can prepare for Saturday’s game against Emmen they had a tricky Champions League qualifier 1st leg at home to Dynamo Kiev in midweek (won 3-1). Emmen have never played in the top flight of Dutch football before and they started life mixing it with the Netherlands’s elite with victory over Den Haag, but were brought back down to earth with a bang last weekend against AZ Alkmaar.

Ajax could only manage a draw at home to Heracles on the opening day of the season, but the hosts had travelled back from Belgium just four days before that game after drawing with Standard Liège in a Champions League qualifier. The home leg of that tie followed before the trip to Venlo and, with less travelling to do, Ajax were able to beat the Belgian and follow that up with their first league win of the new season.

Ajax dominated the ninety minute in Venlo with 69% of the overall possession as well as ten shots on target to VVV’s three, but left it late to claim their victory. Both teams lined up with 4-3-3 formations, but VVV ended up playing a 4-5-1 as their attacking wingers kept having to fall back to help defend.

The visitors should have taken the lead in their eighth minute when Brazilian Neres rounded the VVV goalkeeper and spooned his shot wide of the right hand post. Most of the shots in the first half came from outside the box, including VVV’s best chance which didn’t really trouble Onana in the visitors goal.

Once again shots from outside the box seemed all the rage as Ajax tried speculative efforts in their search for the games opening goal, but instead it was a foul on veteran forward Huntelaar in the eighty-fifth minute that lead to Ajax’s winner. Initially the referee didn’t give the spot kick after Huntelaar had clearly been barged in the back when attempting to score with a header, but the VAR system proved its worth and in the eighty-eighth minute Tadic sent the resulting spot kick straight down the middle of the goal to hand Ajax all three points.

Ajax sit sixth in the table after a win and a draw, with AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven the only two teams still with a 100% record. Those two sides were always expected to be Ajax’s main rivals this season, especially after their performances in the previous campaign, and the Amsterdam club will be disappointed to already be playing catch up even at this early stage of the season.

Emmen could not follow up their fantastic away win at Den Haag with even a point in their first home game in the Eredivisie against AZ Alkmaar. A goal from Boadu put the visitors in front, but Emmen responded with a Bakker goal just two minutes later to make it 1-1. However, the hosts would find themselves 3-1 down heading into the half time break after Ouwejan and Idrissi scored late in on in the opening forty-five minutes.

Despite the scoreline Emmen remained in this match up until AZ netted their fourth of the afternoon through Idrissi in the seventy-first minute which wrapped up a 4-1 win for free scoring AZ. The stats suggest the scoreline was harsh on the home side who had seven shots on target to AZ’s six and were only just edged out in the possession stats 48% to 52%.

This Emmen side have shown early signs that they have the goals in them to earn enough points to remain in the top flight for another season, but will face the toughest task in their entire history on Saturday when they take on the Dutch giants Ajax in their own backyard. We’re not expecting Emmen to see much of the ball in this match as they did at home to AZ, which should mean a lot less scoring opportunities.

We’re confident that Ajax will win this game to nil, with the final score reading 3-0 to the hosts and bookmakers favourites. Ajax’s only two previous encounters with Emmen ended in victory and a clean sheet and the hosts have won and kept a clean sheet in their last two games in all competitions. Emmen have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last four matches and were heavily beaten by AZ Alkmaar at home last weekend.