Zwolle vs Twente prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2024-05-18 12:30.
[p]PEC Zwolle unwillingly made their fight against relegation even more exciting when they gave away a lead over RKC Waalwijk in stoppage time. The club itself is nonetheless safe and therefore able to partake in this Overijssel battle in a relaxed frame of mind. But there’ll be no shortage of incentive to go out with a bang, for it will be Bram van Polen’s farewell match. Over a period of nearly two decades the defender became not only an icon of PEC, but of the Eredivisie as a whole for his longevity.[/p]
[p]With 17 consecutive seasons serving PEC Zwolle, the captain is living proof that club loyalty still exists. The 38-year-old is the oldest man to have played in Dutch professional football this season and has been employed by far the longest at the one club of all professional players in Dutch club history. Van Polen played more than 500 games for his club, steering them through promotion to the Eredivisie in the early 2010s and even winning the KNVB Cup in 2014.[/p]
[p]Visitors FC Twente can qualify for the UEFA Champions League preliminary rounds for the first time in 13 years on Sunday afternoon. All the Tukkers have to do is ensure that their two-point lead over fourth-placed AZ Alkmaar is not relinquished. The goal difference is only one goal in favour of Twente, so even a draw leaves them in a potentially perilous position. If they draw and AZ wins by one goal, it’s even possible for the teams to end up with the same goal difference, goal count and head-to-head criteria, which could result in an historic play-off match for third place. [/p]
[p]Twente have been doing especially well in fixtures against PEC recently, coming out on top in six of the last seven editions (L1). But Joseph Oosting’s club has been very disappointing away from home in recent months. The Enschede outfit aggregated a total of just one point from their four most recent away matches and would only be in fifth place on the table based on away games, whilst at home they performed the best of all Eredivisie teams after PSV.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Lennart Thy has scored in half of his last eight appearances for PEC, whilst Sem Steijn has scored five times in his last three matches and is by far the most productive midfielder in the Eredivisie with his 17 league goals. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: PEC conceded at least one goal in each of their last 13 games.[/p]