RKC Waalwijk vs Vitesse Arnhem
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Eredivisie game between RKC Waalwijk and Vitesse Arnhem.
This is a fascinating game as RKC are the Eredivisie’s unexpected success story this season whereas Vitesse are the side that everyone expected to do well that…well, did well on some occasions but failed to achieve what they really wanted to.
I’ve been a massive advocate of RKC in the past few months because they’ve genuinely played some of the best football in The Netherlands. Who thought that Brood’s side would be able to produce such quality football again following promotion? I certainly didn’t but I’m happy to be wrong in this instance because it’s refreshing to see a side playing like this. RKC dumped Twente out of the play-offs to reach this final so you can see that they’re a capable side, if you needed the proof. They’re not afraid of any side and they’re not a side that concedes goals easily due to them usually having a lot of the ball. The criticism of RKC has to be that they lack a finisher but they’re still a bloody good side. They’re in a great position here, too – there’s no pressure on them as nobody expected them to avoid relegation this season, let alone to be battling for a UEFA Europa League place! Take the pressure away from a side that already plays some beautiful attacking football and you have to fancy them to do some damage here.
I mean, Vitesse have superior players but they’re awful away from home. Their youthful inexperience is very much evident on the road and although they’ve always got a goal in them, you always have that feeling that they’re going to do something stupid and not get the points that they require away from home. Fortunately, this play-off is not about points but goals and Vitesse can contribute to that side of things. They do need to score here too, in my view. RKC are not a side that Vitesse can just beat with ease at home when they see fit. Beating RKC takes determination and finesse and although Vitesse have both of those two characteristics, it depends on the mood of their squad as to whether they demonstrate it or not. Losing this game would be a hefty blow for Vitesse, even with the return leg at the GelreDome looming. Vitesse will have to score here and thus I expect them to contribute to the over 2.5 goals option.
Similarly, RKC must win this game to have a chance of UEFA Europa League football next season, in my view. The GelreDome is not an easy place to play and Brood’s side knows it. RKC have been solid at home this season but they’ll have to attack more than ever to take the necessary win into the second leg and that should leave us with an open game here. If things progress as I expect them to then over 2.5 goals should be in the big and odds of 9/10 are worth the risk, in my opinion.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 9/10.
Thursday’s Picks
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
Copa Libertadores:
Boca Juniors vs Fluminense (7) 2-0
Velez Sarsfield vs Santos (6) 2-1
Austrian Bundesliga:
Rapid Vienna vs Wacker Innsbruck (7) 2-0
SV Ried vs Wiener Neustadt (6) 0-0
SV Mattersburg vs SV Kapfenberg (6) 2-1
Sturm Graz vs Austria Vienna (6) 1-1
Salzburg vs Admira Wacker (6) 1-0
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Cercle Brugge vs AA Gent (5) 2-2
Finnish Ykkonen:
RoPS Rovaniemi vs KooTeePee Kotka (7)
SJK vs PK-35 Helsinki (4) over 2.5 goals
Latvian Virsliga:
FK Ventspils vs Skonto Riga (5) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
FC Jurmala vs Liepajas Metalurgs (7) 1-2
Metta/LU vs Daugava Riga (6) 1-0
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Kruoja Pakruojis vs Dainava (6) 1-0
Mexican Primera Division:
Monterrey vs Santos Laguna (6) over 2.5 goals
Dutch Eredivisie:
RKC Waalwijk vs Vitesse Arnhem (5) 2-1
Romanian Liga:
Targu Mures vs Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt (6) 1-0
Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Petrolul Ploiesti (4) 1-1
Astra Ploiesti vs FC Brasov (5) 0-0
Steaua Bucharest vs Dinamo Bucharest (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Nafta Lendava vs Domzale (6) 2-1
Gorica vs Rudar Velenje (5) 1-1
Koper vs Triglav (6) 2-1
Celje vs Maribor (7) 0-1
Olimpija Ljubljana vs Mura 05 (7) 2-1
Swedish Allsvenskan:
GAIS Goteborg vs GIF Sundsvall (3) 0-1
Mjallby Solvesborg vs IFK Goteborg (6) 2-2
Malmo FF vs Elfsborg Boras (5) 2-1
Djurgarden vs Gefle (7) 2-0
Swedish Superettan:
Osters vs Brommapojkarna (5)
Halmstad vs Angelholm (6)
Enjoy your free betting tips!