AZ Reserves vs Maastricht Predictions

MVV have been hovering in and around the Play-off places for most of the season, but their race appears to have been run after last week’s 1-1 draw at Dordrecht. Ron Elsen’s side are now five points off the pace down in 14^th with just four games remaining, and confidence is low as they head to Alkmaar this Friday to face a Jong AZ side who have been extremely solid at home of late.

It’s quite extraordinary to think that MVV have one point more on the board than they did at this stage last term, but the league table dictates that they are six places worse off after being 8^th in 2017/18.

That’s largely due to a number of mid table teams hitting a good spell of form in recent weeks, whilst MVV have by contrast gone in completely the wrong direction. Last week’s 1-1 draw at Dordrecht made it eight league games without a victory for Ron Elsen’s charges, and it’s a run which looks to have dealt a terminal blow to their Play-off hopes.

The Maastricht outfit will be kicking themselves as they were in great shape after winning five on the bounce around February time – but in truth a team that goes from that to eight games without success probably doesn’t deserve a shot at promotion.

MVV will need to win their last four matches to give themselves any chance which looks highly unlikely, and Jong AZ could be the side to put the final nail in their coffin this week.

Jong were turned over 2-4 by likely Play-off participants RKC on match day 34 but they had previously been making some great progress at AFAS Stadion. Michel Vonk’s charges hammered NEC 4-0 in Alkmaar at the start of the month and they have also managed to hold the likes of Den Bosch and Jong PSV to goalless draws in recent weeks.

That rates as decent form in the context of this match, and although the league table implies that the visitors are the better team, we’re tipping up Jong AZ to edge this one.

Jong ran out 3-0 winners in last season’s corresponding fixture which further explains their status as marginal favourites here, and they definitely warrant a small punt at around 6/4 with a 2-1 correct score also forecasted.