The playoffs seemed to have gone wrong for MVV, but thanks to two great victories at Cambuur and NEC, the Maastricht team are back with the season stakes.

The season of MVV seemed like a night candle to go out, The last match for the winter break and the first four matches of 2018 yielded only one point, much to the displeasure of the fanatic supporters. The supporters saw little prospect of improvement with an away match against Cambuur and a home match against leader NEC in front of him.

Two weeks later, the trust is back again. A handsome 0-2 victory was booked in Leeuwarden and last week NEC was sent from the box to the wall in the Geusselt. The home team won deservedly 4-1. Where MVV often had bad luck in the first weeks of the new calendar year, everything against NEC fell into place at once. That’s how Atilla Yildirim scored, who did not turn out to be a goal getter this season, with a bang of about 30 meters. The other goals were made by Pieter Nys, Jonathan Okita and Joeri Schroijen. For the latter, last season the most valuable player of the Star Bearers, it was only his first hit of the season.

When MVV manages to win in Almere’s own home, things are doing very well for the playoffs. The backlog to place 10, which gives right to participation in the playoffs in the current ranking, is only three points.

It is not yet known on Ron Elsen against Almere to be able to call on Ricardo Ippel. The captain of the people from Maastricht has been on the sidelines since the beginning of November and the latest news was that he would return after the Carnival. Last week he was not there yet and we are still waiting for clarification if he will make his comeback this week.

Almere is working on a good season and seems to be on the way to the playoffs. The team of coach Jack de Gier only lost once during the months of November, December and January, which largely determines the high ranking in the ranking. After 25 matches we find the Flevolanders in seventh place, with 39 points. Because Jong Ajax and Jong PSV are excluded from participating in promotion matches, the current classification would be sufficient to skip the first round.

The 2-0 victory over Go Ahead Eagles last week was a special one for two reasons. First, the win meant a tipping point after two losses in a row against FC Dordrecht and FC Oss. Secondly, the victory also meant the first clean sheet of Almere this season. For the first time since March 31, 2017, the Flevolanders did not have to allow a counter goal in a league game.

Calvin MacIntosh will not be present against MVV. Against Go Ahead he took his fifth yellow card of the season, which automatically suspended him for a match. Opposite this is the return of captain Tom Overtoom and top scorer Arsenio Valpoort. Overtoom was ill last week, while Valpoort returns from a suspension.

PREDICTION: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.48