Utrecht vs VVV Venlo Predictions

Both of these teams have lost against expected title challengers and beaten sides they would expect to their rivals for positions in the Eredivisie’s opening two games of the season. Utrecht went from losing 4-0 against PSV to beating Zwolle, while VVV beat Willem II and then lost at home to Ajax. The pair clash on Sunday for a match that the bookmakers believe will go the way of the hosts Utrecht, but whichever way it does go were expecting a close game.

Utrecht know they got lucky last weekend against Zwolle as they were outplayed by their guests, ended the game a man short, and still picked up all three points. Both teams managed just a handful of shots on target in what was a tight and tense affair, but for all the good it did Zwolle having the lion’s share of the possession it was Utrecht that lead at the break.

A twenty-sixth minute strike from van Overeem set Utrecht on their way to victory against Zwolle, and a second goal on the stroke of half time from Klaiber really took the wind out of the visitors sails.

The second half panned out similar to the first with Zwolle seeing more of the ball but never really doing enough with the possession, and even the sixty-sixth minute sending off of van Overeem failed to inspire a Zwolle comeback.

Utrecht held on to their two goal lead and picked up their first points of the season against one of the teams they will be expecting to challenge them for the European places this season. Utrecht have moved up to thirteenth place in the table and will be hoping to break into the top seven with three more points this weekend.

After beating Willem II 1-0 in their first game of the season, VVV were then beating by that very same scoring by Ajax last weekend, though it could and probably should have been a lot worse.

The visitors dominated the game and were afforded far too much time and space on the ball, with Ajax ending the game with 69% of the overall possession and ten shots on target to the hosts three.

The winning goal eventually arrived in the eighty-eighth minute in the form of a penalty from Tadić, after VAR confirmed that Huntelaar was indeed fouled inside the box when attempting to score from a header. However, Ajax should have had the game won a long time before then following plenty of good goal scoring opportunities that were missed, none worse than David Neres’ first half effort that went wide despite the Brazilian already rounding the goalkeeper.

VVV we’re always the underdogs for that game, but they cannot afford to stand off future opponents as they did Ajax, because sooner or later they will get punished and some team is going to beat them by a cricket score. We’re expecting another close game between these two sides this weekend, just like each of last seasons meetings that ended with just a single goal scored in each match.

We’re confident that under 2.5 goals will be scored in Sunday’s game and have backed Utrecht to win 1-0. The last two two meetings between these two clubs have both produced under 2.5 goals and 1-0 wins for Utrecht. The hosts have won four of the last five meetings between the two clubs, while each of VVV’s last four matches have produced under 2.5 goals.