AZ Reserves vs RKC Predictions

After smashing in 11 goals in their four previous Eerste Divisie games, RKC drew a blank on match day 33 however a 0-0 stalemate away to Roda JC was no bad result. Fred Grim’s side were shuffled down to 8^th in the table following Jong Ajax’s win at Helmond Sport, but they are still bang on course to finish in the Play-offs with five matches remaining. The Waalwijk outfit will be looking to cement their top nine status further this week when they square off against  18^th placed Jong AZ and the bookies make RKC favourites at a shade of odds-against to land the spoils in Alkmaar.

RKC weren’t fancied to be in the Play-off shake up this season following a dismal 18^th place finish last term, but boss Fred Grim really has sparked a real revival in Waalwijk and the club now have realistic aspirations about a return to Eredivisie after a five year absence.

Their likely qualification is even more outstanding when you consider that they only had 11 points on the board after 13 games, but have subsequently amassed 38 from 20 to give themselves an excellent chance of finishing in the top nine.

That sort of points tally is on a par with the likes of Sparta Rotterdam and Go Ahead Eagles who are currently 2^nd and 3^rd in the table, and you would have to think that RKC are the biggest threat to those two clubs out of the other Eerste Divisie challengers in May.

For now though, RKC have to concentrate on securing their place and they will probably need around seven points from their last five matches to get over the line.

They will fancy themselves to bank a win in Alkmaar this week and that should be the outcome if RKC play anything like they did in their tremendous 4-1 success over leaders Twente on April 1.

Jong can’t be dismissed lightly here though based on their recent efforts at home; Michel Vonk’s side are unbeaten in five at AFAS Stadion (conceding just two goals in those fixtures) and destroyed NEC here 4-0 on match day 32.

Jong have also beaten Cambuur (2-1) and drawn with Den Bosch (0-0), Jong PSV (0-0) and Volendam (1-1) in Alkmaar since the beginning of February, so odds of around 7/10 for the hosts in the double chance market look pretty fair on the face of things when you consider that RKC have failed to win three of their last four on the road.

Nonetheless, the visitors are by far the better team if both bring their A game to the table, and we have to trust that RKC will definitely be up for this one with their Play-off credentials at stake.

Jong’s recent home form is respected though, so we’re only recommending small stakes on RKC for the victory alongside a 1-2 correct score prediction.