Heerenveen vs Ajax prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2024-02-10 13:30.
For SC Heerenveen, 2023/24 has been a season of streaks. In mid-October, the Frisians were in the relegation zone and head coach Kees van Wonderen's tenure was emphatically up for discussion in and around the Abe Lenstra Stadium. Six weeks and five victories later, the team looked to be in a position to compete again for European play-off participation, but since then they’ve been going through a second freefall.
KNVB Cup elimination against Vitesse Arnhem, three league defeats and three draws brought Heerenveen to a total of 22 points from 20 games and 13th place in the rankings prior to this round, meaning there were just two clubs standing between them and peril. In the last two games they also relinquished the lead against AZ and Fortuna. In the meantime, it cost goalkeeper Andries Noppert his starting place within two years of a World Cup participation.
Their upcoming opponents Ajax Amsterdam limited their dip at the end of 2023 to a draw against PEC Zwolle and a dramatic cup elimination against the amateurs of USV Hercules. In the new year, the team from Amsterdam followed three hard-fought victories with a draw at home against not the runaway leaders of the competition (PSV), who at that time had dropped just two points throughout the entire season.
In the Johan Cruijff ArenA, trainer John van 't Schip is set to be at the helm until the end of the current season, but there is still uncertainty about his possible successor. Van 't Schip has the prospect of another position within the Amsterdam organisation. After the KNVB cup elimination, Ajax have to remain in battle on two fronts. Next Thursday, they will play the first of two legs against FK Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Back home, they have now overtaken AZ in the Eredivisie rankings. Both had 35 points after 20 games.
Players to watch: SC Heerenveen goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart made his competitive debut against Fortuna Sittard at home last weekend and conceded a trio of goals in a 3-3 draw, following two KNVB Cup appearances. For Ajax, club top scorer Brian Brobbey (G13, A5) is their man in form. He scored five of the 12 goals that the team from Amsterdam registered in their four matches since the winter break.
Hot stat: 95% of Heerenveen’s Eredivisie matches this season produced over 1.5 total goals.