NEC vs AZ Live Stream, Predictions

📊 Form Guide

NEC

LWDWDL ⚖

NEC will be looking to improve on their last outing here following a 1-0 KNVB Beker defeat last time out to Feyenoord.

Igor Paixão (59') scored for Feyenoord.

It’s been a rare occasion in recent times where NEC have kept a clean sheet. In fact, NEC have seen their defence breached in 5 of their previous 6 matches, leaking 6 goals in the process.

Coming into this meeting, NEC have not been beaten in their last 7 home league matches.

AZ

WWWLLW

AZ go into this match following a 3-2 Eredivisie win with the defeat of RKC Waalwijk in their last game.

In that game, AZ had 71% possession and 21 attempts on goal with 7 on target. For AZ, the scorers were Yukinari Sugawara (66'), Ibrahim Sadiq (75') and Vangelis Pavlidis (77'). On the other side, RKC Waalwijk got 5 shots on goal with 3 on target. David Min (3', 42') scored for RKC Waalwijk.

Illustrating their involvement in action-packed matches, we’ve seen goals 26 times in the previous six games in which AZ have sent out their troops, yielding an average of 4.33 goals for each fixture. Opposing teams have hit 12 from this total. That trend might not be carried forward into this match, however.

Looking at their past form shows that AZ:

• haven't been defeated by NEC when they have played them away from home in the previous 2 league games.
• have not won away from home in their last 2 league games.

👥 Head to head

If we look at their past head to head meetings going back to 07/05/2017, there has been little between the sides with NEC winning 2 of those games, AZ 2 and 2 being draws in normal time.

A combined total of 17 goals were shared by the two clubs in these games, with 7 of them for NEC and 10 netted by AZ. That’s an average goals per game of 2.83.

The previous league match featuring these sides was Eredivisie match day 15 on 06/12/2023 which finished with the scoreline of AZ 1-2 NEC.

The referee was Jeroen Manschot.

🗞️ Team News: NEC

Bart van Rooij (Thigh problems), Kas de Wit (unknown injury), Bas Dost (heart problems) and Yvandro Borges Sanches (Cruciate ligament tear) will not be taking part for NEC manager Rogier Meijer.

It looks as if NEC may well make use of the 4-2-3-1 system for the game, beginning the first half with Jasper Cillessen, Brayann Pereira, Philippe Sandler, Bram Nuytinck, Calvin Verdonk, Mees Hoedemakers, Dirk Proper, Sontje Hansen, Tjaronn Chery, Kodai Sano and Koki Ogawa.

🗞️ Team News: AZ

From our viewpoint, AZ appear most likely to play in a 4-2-3-1 lineup, giving starts to Matthew Ryan, Yukinari Sugawara, Wouter Goes, Riechedly Bazoer, David Møller Wolfe, Dave Kwakman, Tiago Dantas, Sven Mijnans, Dani de Wit, Ruben van Bommel and Vangelis Pavlidis.

⚡ Prediction

We’re of the view that NEC could well find it tough to breach the defence of this AZ lineup who we reckon will score at least once to put them ahead.

We’re therefore expecting a narrow 0-1 win for AZ at the conclusion of the game.

A close call.

Our expert partners are tipping under 3.5 goals for this match. Check out their VIP predictions here.

Victor Martins, 15:11 25/04/2024