SUNDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2026 – FROM 11:15AM BST
🇳🇱 EREDIVSIE – WEEK FIVE ⚽
FC GRONINGEN VS. FC TWENTE
SC HEERENVEEN VS. AZ ALKMAAR
Sunday brings a heavy dose of the Eredivisie’s underbelly, with four fixtures on the schedule. For today’s Dutch Double, Will Burns zeroes in on two of games, clashes featuring four sides eager to break into the space usually dominated by the Big Three, including one club with genuine championship ambitions.
FC Groningen host FC Twente in an intriguing Eredivisie showdown where both teams have something to prove. Groningen play exciting football but leak goals, while Twente are known for their possession and organisation. Even at this early stage, both coaches will be under pressure.
Groningen generate plenty of danger, they are averaging 14 big chances per match, but also fail to convert 11 of those. Their tendency to surrender early leads makes Twente to lead at half‑time is appealing. Dick Lukkien’s side are vulnerable in transition, a recurring problem that continues to cost them against organised opponents. That fragility was exposed in back‑to‑back defeats: a 3–2 loss at home to Fortuna Sittard last weekend and a heavy 5–1 beating away at PSV in the Philips Stadion the week previous. Those results abruptly halted what had been a perfect start to the campaign, with two wins from two — a 2–1 victory over Utrecht at the Euroborg and a convincing 4–1 win away at ADO.
Twente’s defensive structure is far more stable. They have allowed only 14 shots inside their own box across three matches, a sign of strong organisation and disciplined positioning. Their dominance in possession and frequent use of the flanks also means they win a lot of corners. They often they force opponents back and create repeated wide overloads, this could open Groningen up time and time again. Lukkien beware!!
However, in what seems to be a regular occurrence in the league, both sides have shown quality up top, and weaknesses at the back. Both Teams to Score in all four Groningen’s league games so far, for Twente, they played three league games without a clean sheet: 1-0 loss to Heerenveen, 3-1 win at home to PEC Zwolle and 4-1 win away to Cambuur. The season was interrupted by a European qualifying where a total of 9 goals were conceded in six games but they scored 11 times. BTTS should land here but I give the advantage to John van den Brom’s Twente when it comes to the final result.
Twente look like they’re beginning to find rhythm just as Groningen appear to be moving in the opposite direction. Fortuna Sittard, this season’s surprise package, exposed Groningen’s transition issues by hitting Lukkien’s side three times on the counter last weekend. Twente have the tools to do exactly the same. With pace on both wings and in midfield, and Wout Weghorst acting as a powerful focal point who can hold the ball and bring others into play, the likes of Younes Taha, Marko Pjaca and Sondre Ørjasaeter are well‑placed to exploit the spaces Groningen leave behind. It wouldn’t surprised me if any of those four ended up on the scoresheet.
The table-topping AZ Alkmaar head to the Abe Lenstra Stadium with a perfect four wins out of four with thirteen goals scored and only three conceded. Leeroy Echteld has shaped AZ into genuine title contenders since becoming permanent head coach in April, he led them to their KNVB Beker triumph over NEC Nijmegen and the emphatic 4–0 victory over ten‑man PSV in the Johan Cruyff Schaal. SC Heerenveen approach the match from a very different position. Robin Veldman’s side have struggled for consistency after a mixed start, and three injuries in defence make selection even more complicated. Facing this high‑flying AZ team is a serious early‑season examination.
Heerenveen opened the campaign impressively with a 1–0 win away at FC Twente but since then, they have slipped into a run of draws, interrupted by a 2-0 defeat at home to PEC Zwolle. Two 2–2 draws, against Ajax and Willem II, will give them confidence against AZ, but they too often fail to finish matches strongly. In attack, there are bright spots. Right-winger Jacob Trenskow has two goals and an assist in the four league matches, while on the left, Maxence Rivera provides threat with an average of 2.5 shots on target per match.
Defensively, there are concerns as they have conceded six goals in four matches, including two goals in each of the two away draws. With two regular defenders missing, the back line is particularly vulnerable, and AZ possess exactly the kind of attacking power that can exploit that. Mees Hilgers is sidelined with a knee‑ligament injury, while first choice right-back, Mats Egbring has an ankle issue, so Oliver Braude steps in at right‑back to complete a patched‑up back line.
For AZ, Echteld’s compact, attack‑minded system has delivered four straight with Mexx Meerdink finally proving he is threat up front. Their defensive structure has been just as impressive, but the only minor concern is the injury to right‑back Denso Kasius.
So with the visitors’ prolific attack and a solid defence, and combine that with Heerenveen’s injuries at the back, I see this being an away win. It will be difficult for the hosts to to match the AZ’s tempo, though Trenskow or Rivera could still produce a moment at home. Ultimately, I see AZ being victorious and claiming their fifth win, but I wouldn’t put you off backing Both Teams to Score in this one.
Heerenveen have conceded at least two goals in each of their last three matches, and in the 2–2 draw with Ajax they were already two goals down by half‑time. AZ, meanwhile, have shown a habit of striking early: they’ve scored in the first half in two of their four league games, and they also led at the break in their Johan Cruyff Schaal win over PSV. I see AZ exploding out of the blocks here and adding an AZ goal in the first half will bump up the Bet Builder below.
| ⚽️ DUTCH DOUBLE Groningen vs. Twente: Both Teams to Score Heerenveen vs. AZ: Both Teams to Score 💷 1pts Best Odds: 2.10 at Unibet ⚽️ BET 2: FC Twente win/Both Teams to Score 💷 1pts Best Odds: 3.50 at Sky Bet ⚽️ BET 3: BET BUILDER AZ win Over 2.5 Match Goals AZ to score in the first half 💷 1pts Best Odds: 2.74 at BetMGM |
Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org