Nijmegen vs Heerenveen prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2023-05-05 18:00.
NEC Nijmegen and SC Heerenveen are tied on points and are in direct competition with one another on Saturday for eighth place in the competition. NEC held that position on Friday courtesy of goal difference, but go into this game knowing what they’ll need to leapfrog RKC Waalwijk should they take points against Volendam the night before. NEC were boosted significantly by the presence of playmaker Oussama Tannane on the training track during the week.
Despite their relatively good season so far, NEC fans have had to continue to wait for an excuse to party. After being undefeated for a stretch of 13 home outings, Rogier Meijer’s team conceded four strikes in each of their last two home games (L 4-2 v PSV and L 4-1 v Vitesse). Their last away trip yielded three points, but it was behind closed doors after a dramatic postponement of their clash against Groningen.
SC Heerenveen has had to make do without their World Cup-playing goalkeeper Andries Noppert for months and now it is really making a difference to their on-field results. The Dutch international produced seven clean sheets from his 17 league games this season, whilst replacement custodian Xavier Mous has just one to his name from 13. The difference in the average number of goals conceded per game (0.94 to 2.23) is also telling.
There appeared to be no issues in their most recent outing when Heerenveen led 2-1 against DC Emmen, but a hat-trick from Ole Romeny put the Frisians away. Romeny’s efforts would have been music to the ears of the hosts, as a NEC youth academy product!
Players to watch: Heerenveen is the club that NEC’s Jasper Cillessen has taken on the most times without a single career H2H loss without losing in his career (W5, D5). Heerenveen striker Sydney van Hooijdonk has scored eight times in his last six Eredivisie games, but perhaps most impressively that includes four match openers from their last five.
Hot streak: NEC has not lost to Heerenveen (W5, D4) in more than ten years.