JONG AJAX VS NIJMEGEN PREVIEW & PREDICTION
A real winner in the Jupiler League, five games before the end of the competition! Which team is currently in the title fight?
Young Ajax:
It keeps changing penny at the top of the ranking. Both NEC and Fortuna Sittard as Young Ajax did not manage to perform consistently throughout the season and all three teams had lesser phases after the winter break. Thus, we have seen a new leader almost every week in recent weeks. This time it is Fortuna Sittard that has taken the lead. As close pursuers, NEC and Jong Ajax have to win to keep Fortuna on the track or even to pass, but mainly to walk three points on the other.
That NEC is playing a changeable season is an understatement. However, the lesser results are mainly achieved outdoors. The Nijmegen team seems to be a different team when they play outside their own Goffert. Pepijn Lijnders’ team is unbeatable in its own stadium. Thirteen of the seventeen home games played so far delivered a victory for NEC, while the other four games ended in a draw. This makes NEC the only team that is unbeaten at home this season.
How difficult it is to hand over NEC in-house points, Telstar experienced last Monday. The Velsenaren lost no time 3-0 by hits of Michael Heinloth, Wojciech Golla and Ferdi Kadioglu. Incidentally, both top scorers Braken and Achahbar together in the base.
Nijmegen:
Just like opponent NEC Young Ajax has also dropped the necessary stitches in recent weeks. For example, since the end of February, it has lost all the other promises teams and low flyer Go Ahead Eagles. With this the Amsterdammers did not do good business in the title race. Because of the recent series of defeats, Michael Reiziger’s team has to make it into the spot for the time being and give priority to NEC and Fortuna Sittard.
Last Monday, Jong Ajax managed to avoid loss in the difficult away match on the Krommedijk against FC Dordrecht. The home team brutally took the lead from Robert Mutzers, but within two minutes Ché Nunnely and Mateo Cassierra had reversed the score by making the 1-1 and the 1-2 in the 37th and 38th minute. In the second half, the Sheep Heads came alongside via Denis Mahmudov, but the renewed lead for Young Ajax via Teun Bijleveld turned out to be the winning goal.
Because of this, the team from Amsterdam is still in the title race, which according to the players group really does live on the Future. With a victory over NEC, a three-point gap is made with the home team and even the first place is once again a possibility when Fortuna Sittard loses points. The latter team will therefore hope for a draw, so that the team can score two runs on both when it wins its own match.
PREDICTION: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.49
