Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Rochdale
Match Time & Date:
29/12/2021
20:45
Prediction: 2-2
Port Vale
Wednesday’s football game at Spotland Stadium pits together Rochdale and Port Vale, the two teams who are eyeing a place in the playoffs. The Dale desperately needed a win over Newport, and they managed to get one in style (3-0). Rochdale aim to move closer to the playoffs berth, and we predict that they will adopt an attack-minded approach in the midweek clash. Jake Beesley looks unstoppable at the moment, meaning that the opposition defenders should have him at bay.
The Valiants, on the other hand, aim to make amends for a 2-1 loss to Newport. Port Vale are eyeing their sixth away triumph of the season, and seeing that they will go for a win in Wednesday’s clash as well, both teams to score betting option should be considered. The Valiants defender Dan Jones is banned for the match, which is yet another reason why we are tempted to put our money on both teams to score.
Highlighted Player (Eoghan O\'Connell):
Eoghan O’Connell is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a center back for Rochdale. O'Connell, who hails from the village of Douglas, was born on the 13th of August, 1995. In his early days, the defender used to play for two renowned Irish academies in College Corinthians and Avondale United before switching to the Celtic Academy in 2011.
He made his professional debut on the 29th of March, 2014, featuring in Celtic's 1-1 draw against Ross Country in the Scottish Premiership. His time at the Hoops included sporadic first-team appearances and loan spells with teams Oldham Athletic, Cork City, and Walsall. However, he won Celtic's Academy Player of the Year 2014 award and was included in the reputed Irish publication Journal.ie's " 10 most promising young Irish Footballers" article. His search for regular playing time brought O'Connell to Bury, whom he joined in June 2017.
He remained at the club for two seasons before signing for his current club Rochdale on a two-year contract starting on the 4th of July, 2019. Additionally, the 24-year-old has capped for the Republic of Ireland's under-19 and the under-21 team. He made his under-21 debut on the 2nd of September, 2017, in a 2-0 UEFA European Under-21 Qualifier win over Slovenia.
Highlighted Team (Port Vale):
Nicknamed the Valiants, Port Vale are a professional club that compete in the League Two. Port Vale welcome their rivals at Vale Park, and they wear white and black kit when playing in front of home fans. Yellow, on the other hand, is the dominant colour of their away kit.
The Valiants’ home ground, which was built in 1950, can hold up to 49,768 people. Championship side Stoke City are seen as one of the club’s fiercest rivals, but their rivalry is pretty healthy. The two teams first met on December 2, 1882, with the Potters emerging triumphant (1-0).
The Valiants maintain a rivalry with fellow League 2 club Crewe Alexandra as well. Speaking of the club’s titles, it has to be noted that Port Vale have won Football League Trophy on two occasions (1993, 2001). A 9-1 win over Chesterfield from September 24, 1932 is the club’s biggest triumph.
