DORDRECHT VS SPARTA ROTTERDAM PREVIEW & PREDICTION
The fact that FC Dordrecht ended up in the semi-finals of the play-offs is one of the biggest surprises of the last weeks. Can the men of Gerard de Nooijer again stunt against favorite Sparta Rotterdam?
FC Dordrecht:
As said before, it may be called a miracle that FC Dordrecht may cross the swords with Sparta. The Zuid-Hollanders lost the first playoff game with Cambuur in their home with 1-4 and after 45 minutes of football in Leeuwarden, there was a 1-0 score on the scoreboard. The players of FC Dordrecht seemed to be able to go on holiday, but just when the fight seemed to be decided, the visitors beat back. Between 48th and 73rd minutes, De Nooijer’s formation scored four times, which made the score equal. The Sheep’s Heads eventually turned out to have nerves of nerves as Cambuur was defeated with the penalty shoot-out.
It was only the first victory of FC Dordrecht in a series of eight games and that came at a very good time. The question now is whether this revival was an incident, or whether FC Dordrecht suddenly regained the flow. The recent figures are still not to write home about. Of the last eleven matches that FC Dordrecht played, eight were lost.
Given the result in Leeuwarden, De Nooijer, who only brought sixteen players to Friesland, has no reason to make surprising changes. However, it is still the question whether Bryan Janssen can come into action. The goalkeeper got injured during the warm-up on Saturday and as a result the eighteen-year-old Menno Bergsen appeared at the kickoff. The youth played a good game, but will have to start on the bench again if Janssen is fit enough to play.
Sparta Rotterdam:
Sparta Rotterdam ended seven points below the dreaded line this season, but the seventeenth place still gives some satisfaction to the supporters. The Rotterdammers seemed to be dead and buried after the first half of the season, but an advance under the leadership of Dick Advocaat ultimately ensured that the last place was transferred to FC Twente. Sparta therefore finished seventeenth and now has to secure the Eredivisie spot for next season via the play-offs.
Last weekend, the Sparta players seemed to be sitting with their heads at the playoffs. Heracles Almelo, who usually does not perform too well in away games, scored happily at Het Kasteel. In the second half the Almeloans were able to find the net four times and that resulted in a 2-5 final score. Fred Friday and Stijn Spierings scored for Sparta, but that was not enough to prevent the loss.
Despite the loss against Heracles Almelo, Advocaat will probably not change too much. Michiel Kramer is still on the sidelines due to a suspension, but his absence will not affect the performance of Sparta. The attacker has already left the club. Fred Friday managed to score in the last two games and he hopes to continue that line against FC Dordrecht now.
PREDICTION: Sparta Rotterdam to win @ 1.80
