Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Eredivisie match.
Representatives of the Netherlands in the Europa League, AZ Alkmaar and Twente, are expected to deliver an entertaining match filled with goal-scoring opportunities. The hosts are considered the favourites due to the advantage of playing at home and their ongoing unbeaten streak, though this doesn’t guarantee a victory for the team from Alkmaar.
AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar's win over Groningen (3:1) in Wednesday’s KNVB Cup tie marked their sixth victory in the last nine matches, with their last hiccup occurring in early November (eight matches ago). On their visit to Breda (2:1), the team snatched the win in the dying minutes after dominating the majority of the match (1.48 xG, 15 shots, and 65% possession). At home, Alkmaar have been prolific with 18 goals in eight games—only Ajax (20) and PSV Eindhoven (29) boast better attacks.
Twente
In five December fixtures involving Twente, the total over 2.5 occurred three times. The humbling defeat to PSV Eindhoven (1:6) served as a valuable lesson for Twente, who seized their chances effectively against Groningen (2:0) and Katwijk (3:2). Among the visitors, forward Ricky van Wolfswinkel stands out, leading the Eredivisie scoring 12+4.
AZ Alkmaar vs Twente Prediction
This Dutch football classic is set to be rich in goal-scoring opportunities. In the last five rounds, AZ Alkmaar and Twente have only once failed to achieve a total over 2.5, and a high-scoring affair is anticipated by half-time.
