AZ Alkmaar vs Utrecht prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2024-05-18 12:30.
[p]This fixture between AZ Alkmaar and FC Utrecht will feature two teams hoping to rise one place up the rankings in the final round. After four consecutive victories, AZ are only two points away from third-placed Twente. The Alkmaar outfit have themselves a UEFA Europa League place, but they can still dream of sneaking into third place and thus the preliminary qualifying rounds of the expanded UEFA Champions League.[/p]
[p]The Alkmaarders last took part in the group stage of a Champions League in 2010 and have qualified for the preliminary rounds only once since then. Top scorer Vangelis Pavlidis has been a big part of their success this season. He failed to score last weekend (for a change!) after being on the scoresheet in seven of his eight prior appearances. He’ll be hoping he can stay ahead of PSV captain Luuk de Jong, who is his challenger for the league’s Golden Boot award (28 to 27) with one round to play.[/p]
[p]FC Utrecht were only four points above the danger zone halfway through the competition, but after a very successful 2024 calendar year, they’re assured a place in the postseason play-offs. The Domstedelingen even have a chance of finishing sixth, which would ensure that they will play only at home in the play-offs. Ron Jans’ club lost just three matches this calendar year, but one of those defeats came last weekend in a home match against Sparta Rotterdam (L 1-0).[/p]
[p]If their position in the rankings remains unchanged, they’ll again be hosting Sparta next Thursday in the semi-finals of the play-offs. In recent years, Utrecht has been able to resist AZ consistently, drawing four of the last five meetings with their often stronger opponents (L1). The most eye-catching meeting of that period was last year’s matchup in Alkmaar, which saw ten goals scored and the scores remain level at the end of both halves (3-3, 5-5).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Vangelis Pavlidis has scored seven goals in his four league matches for AZ against Utrecht, whilst visiting captain Nick Viergever scored in two of his last three matches against his former employer AZ. [/p]
[p]Hot streaks: AZ’s last 12 games produced over 1.5 goals, whilst the most recent six saw 3+ goals recorded.[/p]