Our prediction for this Netherlands Eredivisie match:
Utrecht
Match Time & Date:
19/05/2021
18:45
Prediction: 2-1
Groningen
A place in the Conference League playoffs final will be at stake when Utrecht and Groningen face each other at Stadion Galgenwaard on Wednesday evening. Utrecht finished the regular season in fifth position in the standings, and, as a result, they will have a home-field advantage in the clash against Groningen. Even though both Akmum and Mamengi are sidelined with injuries, home win should be considered as Rene Hake’s men have been impressive at home ground this season.
Groningen, on the other hand, have been struggling up front of late, with the team playing out a goalless draw with AZ, while suffering a 1-0 loss to Zwolle. Since the Green-White army are not regarded as good travellers, we are tempted to put our money on the hosts. The good news for the visiting team is that both te Wierik and van Hintum return from suspension.
Highlighted Player (Willem Janssen):
After starting his senior career at VVV-Venlo, Willem Janssen joined fellow Dutch club Roda JC in 2007. The 186-cm-tall centre-back scored 22 goals in 129 appearances for the Black and Yellows in the Eredivisie, and in 2011 he moved to Twente.
After ending his loan spell with Utrecht in 2014, he signed a permanent deal with the Stadion Galgenwaard outfit, and he has been playing for the club ever since. He scored his first league goal for Utrecht in a 1-1 draw with Zwolle on September 1, 2013. Willem Janseen was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands on July 4, 1986, but he has yet to earn a call-up for the national team. Janssen, though, has two caps with the Netherlands U21 team.
His main position is centre-back, but he is used as both defensive midfielder and central midfielder as well. His preferred foot is right. In the 2015/16 season he helped Utrecht make it to the Dutch Cup final, but Feyenoord proved to be a big catch for them in the title game.
Highlighted Team (Groningen):
Groningen is a Dutch football clubs that competes in the Eredivisie. Founded on June 16, 1971, Groningen play home games at Euroborg. The venue was built by Ballas Nedam, Royal BAM Group and VolkerWessels, and it can hold up to 22,525 people.
The Trots van het Noorden (Pride of the North) are well known for their white home shirts with red stripes, while purple is the dominant colour of their away kit. Volendam are considered the club’s fiercest rivals, but they have a rivalry with Twente as well after the 1980s incidents between their fans. Groningen have yet to win the Eredivisie trophy, but they did well to go all the way in the Dutch Cup in the 2014/15 season.
The green and whites defeated Zwolle 2-0 in the title game. Speaking of their European success, it has to be noted that Groningen participated in the Europa League on two occasions. In the 2015/16 season the Trots van het Noorden booked their place in the group stages of the competition, but they failed to record a win in the process.
