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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 31 – Saturday’s Preview & Betting Tips

April 5, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Will Burns returns with his betting tips for Saturday evening’s games and like all his selections, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens. If you place all four of these results in an accumulator – you will get odds of 115/1!!! Good luck if you are having a punt!

Saturday 5th April

HEERENVEEN vs. PSV (17:45 BST)

Ernest Faber, covering for Philip Cocu, will be unhappy with his start last weekend falling 3-2 at home to Groningen while Heerenveen should have claimed all three points against Vitesse but were held to a 2-2 draw.

One thing this game will promise will be goals. For PSV, central defender Jeffrey Bruma is the only absentee for the trip to Heerenveen and is expected to be replaced by either Mathias Jørgensen or Jorrit Hendrix in the line-up. Club captain, Georginio Wijnaldum, after making a return last weekend, will be hoping to make his first start since the 14th September last year in a 2-2 draw with Twente. He may replace Stijn Schaars who is doubtful for this game with a knee injury.

Hakim Ziyech will be missing for Heerenveen and this could hamper the amount of chances created for Bilal Basacikoglu and Alfred Finnbogason. Rajiv van la Parra will return and young left-back Joost van Aken will be pushing for a start at left-back in place of the injured Mitchell Dijks after an impressive substitute appearance last weekend.

This could very well end up in a draw but PSV will press for all three knowing that they need points to try and catch Feyenoord in second for Champions League qualification. There have been Over 2.5 goals scored in 13 of Heerenveen’s last 15 home games in league but to get some value we will try and go one better. Over 3.5 Goals is valued at 23/20 at Bet Victor and I see that as our Best Bet in this one.

BEST BET: Over 3.5 Goals (23/20 – Bet Victor)

NAC BREDA vs. FC TWENTE (18:45 BST)

Twente head to Breda to face NAC without suspended duo Rasmus Bengtsson and Luc Castaignos and this may hinder their chances of victory come Saturday evening.

Third-place Twente have only won twice in the last nine games and after falling out of the title race, they know they need to pick up points before they lose the chance to become runner-up and qualify for Champions League football. Their form on the road has majorly contributed to their downfall recently after failing to win in their last five away games, however, their opponents, NAC are also on a bad run and have not won in seven games.

NAC have had some impressive results at home this season including recent draws against the top two, Feyenoord and Ajax. I predicted Twente’s draw on Wednesday at a massive 5/1 and I am going for the draw again at the same price with Bet365.

BEST BET: Draw (5/1 – Bet365)

NEC NIJMEGEN vs. SC CAMBUUR (18:45 BST)

Cambuur have experienced turmoil over the last seven days which is possibly set to ruin a decent first season back in the Eredivisie.

Head coach Dwight Lodeweges announced on Tuesday that he was to replace Marco van Basten at bitter rivals Heerenveen in the summer and the Cambuur faithful protested the following morning. So much so that Lodeweges resigned with immediate effect and the Leeuwarden side lost their midweek game at Utrecht.

Due to all the upheaval at Cambuur, I can see NEC Nijmegen, sitting second bottom and seven points from safety, winning and pulling away from the definite relegation spot currently occupied by Roda. Nijmegen are desperate for points and English striker Michael Higdon is on form banging in five goals in five consecutive games. I except this run to continue and NEC to get the much needed three points.

NEC to win is being offered at 5/4 with Bet365 and that is the best price for this one.

BEST BET: NEC Nijmegen win (5/4 – Bet365)

HERACLES vs. GO AHEAD EAGLES (19:45 BST)

Although Go Ahead Eagles head to Almelo with a poor away record (lost 7 of their last 8 away games in the league), they have a fantastic record against Heracles.

The Eagles of Deventer have been winning at both half time and full time in their last three games at the Polman Stadion in all competitions. After taking a 5-0 thumping from Feyenoord last weekend in Rotterdam, Fooke Booy’s side bounced back with a 2-1 at home to NAC Breda.

Heracles are in similar hitty-missy form after winning back to back games against basement sides Roda and NEC, Jan de Jonge’s men lost at home to Feyenoord but in all fairness put in a strong display and even took the lead against the Rotterdam side.

When looking at the result for this game, I have to opt for the draw. Both sides are not out of the woods as of yet in results to relegation trouble but Heracles (6 points) and Eagles (4 points) do have a little breathing space with four games to go. I can see this being a cautious affair with few chances and few goals. For the scores to be level at full-time, Bet Victor are offering 3/1.

BEST BET: Draw (3/1 – Bet Victor)

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EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE REPORT

Week 30 Eredivisie Report: PSV slip as Heerenveen hold Vitesse

March 29, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Saturday 29th March 2014

VITESSE 2-2 HEERENVEEN

Vitesse missed the chance to jump in to second place as Peter Bosz’s men and Marco van Basten’s Heerenveen shared the points in a hard-fought 2-2 draw in a great game in the GelreDome.

Van Basten gave 18-year-old winger Daley Sinkgraven his first start in the same week the players signed new contract with the club replacing Rajiv Van la Parra who was left out of the matchday squad for disciplinary reasons.

The first real chance of the game came when Zakaria Labyad forced a save from Kristoffer Nordfeldt on 15 minutes, and Valeri Qazaishvili lashed the rebound towards goal but his effort was blasted just wide of the post.

On the half hour, Mike Havenaar notched his tenth of the season after Ronald Achenteh found him free at the back post, and the Japanese striker arrived to tap home.

Heerenveen nearly had the perfect response a minute later when Bilal Basacikoglu surged forward down the left and swung a ball into the area for Hakim Ziyech but Piet Velthuizen pulled off a great stop to preserve his side’s lead. Opposition goalkeeper Nordfeldt was called into action moments later at the other end when Chelsea’s on-loan full-back Patrick van Aanholt smashed a low left foot drive but the big Swede got down to protect his net.

The visitors got the levelling goal through the Icelandic hitman Alfred Finnbogason with a superb goal. Joey van den Berg played the ball into the striker’s feet on the edge of the area, the Eredivisie top scorer strongly held off the challenge of Jan-Arie Van der Heijden, kept his composure and fire into the goal.

After the half-time team talks, Bertrand Traoré replaced Havenaar after the Vitesse goalscorer had fallen awkwardly on his ankle midway through in the first half.

The visitors grabbed the lead just before the hour mark after some great work from young substitute Joost van Aken, after being one the pitch for less than two minutes. The left-back surged down the wing and beat Achenteh to cross in for Bilal Basacikoglu to rise above Van Aanholt to head past Velthuizen.

Another substitute brought the hosts back level, Chelsea midfielder Bertrand Traoré with a great finish in the 67th minute after being put through on goal by fellow Chelsea team-mate Christian Atsu.

Both sides pressed for the winning goal but both keepers saved their team. At first, Finnbogason looked certain to score ten minute from time but Velthuizen got in front of the striker’s close range effort. Meanwhile, with just a minute remaining, Nordfeldt had to tip over a Traore free-kick.

The draw helped neither team although Vitesse move up into second at the expense of PSV as Heerenveen stay in sixth.

TEAMS

VITESSE: Velthuizen, Achenteh (Vejinovic 82), Mori, Van der Heijden, Van Aanholt, Pröpper, Qazaishvili, Labyad, Atsu (Djurdjevic 73), Havenaar (Traoré 46), Piazón.

SUBS NOT USED: Room, Bosz, Metalsi.

GOALS: Havenaar 31, Traoré 67.

BOOKINGS: Qazaishvili 61, Mori 84.

HEERENVEEN: Nordfeldt, Marzo, Kum, Kruiswijk, Raitala (Van Aken 56), Van Anholt, Van den Berg, Sinkgraven, Ziyech (Slagveer 90+1), Finnbogason, Basacikoglu.

SUBS NOT USED: Vandenbussche, Otigba, De Kamps, Fazli.

GOALS: Finnbogason 39, Basacikoglu 58.

BOOKINGS: Raitala 44, Van Anholt 72, Ziyech 86, Van Aken 88.

NEC 1-2 HERACLES

The already relegation threatened NEC Nijmegen suffered a last minute defeat to ten man Heracles to stay four points adrift of safety but have played more games than all the other clubs in the relegation battle.

The hosts opened the scoring on 20 minutes as Englishman Michael Higdon notched goal number fourteen of the Eredivisie campaign. Higdon skipped past Heracles keeper Remko Pasveer to finish into the vacant goal.

The equaliser did not arrive until the 80th minute with Australian Jason Davidson making the NEC Nijmegen pay for not clearing a cross. A few minutes later, the visitors were down to ten men as Mike te Wierek was shown his second yellow card by referee Kevin Blom for a bad tackle on Søren Rieks.

With the game heading to a draw, Heracles substitutes Matthew Amoah and Iliass Ben Hassini combining to steal the points. Ben Hassini whipped in a ball to the back post and Amoah was on hand to nod the ball past Dennis Gentenaar in goal.

Heracles have climbed up to tenth in the league standings with the positive results, however for NEC, it’s looking highly likely that the Nijmegen side will be at least participating in the relegation playoffs come the end of April.

TEAMS

NEC: Gentenaar, Vermijl, Nielsen, Conboy, Leiwakabessy, Jahanbakhsh (Castillion 88), Rieks, Štefánik, Koolwijk (Mulder 53), Jantscher (Hemlein 82), Higdon.

SUBS NOT USED: Johnsson, Stutter, Disveld.

GOALS: Higdon 20.

BOOKINGS: Rieks 90.

HERACLES: Pasveer, Te Wierik, Rienstra, Schenkeveld, Davidson, Tannane, Quansah, Bruns (Veldmate 74), Rosheuvel (Bel Hassani 62), Uth (Amoah 58), Linssen.

SUBS NOT USED: Telgenkamp, Koenders, Cziommer, Belterman.

GOALS: Davidson 79, Amoah 90+5.

BOOKINGS: Linssen 62, Te Wierik 74, Quansah 85.

SENT OFF: Te Wierek 83.

PSV 2-3 FC GRONINGEN

After an eight-game winning streak, PSV Eindhoven were defeated for only second time this season at the Philips Stadion, 3-2 by FC Groningen.

With Philip Cocu sidelined for the rest of the season after an operation midweek to remove a benign tumour from his back, his assistant Ernest Faber led the PSV team out for the first time. The team were boosted with Georginio Wijnaldum’s return as he had been out of action since September with a back injury.

PSV exploded out of the blocks and made Groningen pay for a defensive error within the first two minutes. After Maikel Kieftenbeld had gave the ball away, goalkeeper Marco Bizot rushed out to punch the ball away from Jürgen Locadia’s path, the quick thinking masked-man Memphis Depay acrobatically chipped the ball towards goal from outside of the box to make it 1-0.

Two quick fire goals not only got Groningen back in the game but saw them take the lead.After a good run from Filip Kostic on 18 minutes, the Serbian rolled the back to Richairo Zivkovic inside the six-yard box for the youngster to tap home his eighth goal of the season.

In the 20th minute, Filip Kostic robbed PSV defender Karim Rekik of the ball in his own area and fired past Jeroen Zoet to make it 2-1 with two goals in two minutes. The Philips Stadion and the PSV players were shell shocked.

The scores were level at the half-time break as PSV were handed a lifeline on 37 minutes. Bryan Ruiz earned his side a penalty and Jürgen Locadia sent the spot-kick low to Bizot’s right and into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.

However, PSV did not go onto to win the game even though they boasted much the possession and only 64 minutes, Tjaronn Chery hit a free-kick that missed everyone and nestled into Zoet’s goal to give his side the three points.

As Edwin van de Looi and Groningen celebrated, PSV sulked as this was a bitter blow to their chances of Champions League qualification for next season.

TEAMS

PSV: Zoet, Arias, Willems, Bruma, Rekik, Schaars (Georginio Wijnaldum 46), Park, Hiljemark (Maher 87), Ruiz (Narsingh 77), Depay, Locadia.

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Brenet, Zanka Jørgensen, Bakkali.

GOALS: Depay 3, Locadia 37.

BOOKINGS: Bruma 21, Rekik 46.

GRONINGEN: Bizot, Hateboer, Botteghin, Kappelhof, Burnet (Giliano Wijnaldum 30), Lindgren, Kieftenbeld, Chery, Van der Velden, Zivkovic, Kostic (Kirm 90+2).

SUBS NOT USED: Van der Lei, Adorjan, Van Nieff, Clintje, Zeefuik.

GOALS: Zivkovic 18, Kostic 20, Chery 64.

BOOKINGS: Burnet 10, Botteghin 36, Wijnaldum 66.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 30 – Saturday’s Preview & Betting Tips

March 28, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

After nailing the draw at 13/5 in last nights game, Will Burns returns with his betting tips for the three Saturday evening’s game and like all his selections, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens. If you have a punt on these three in a treble, it will pay a massive 50/1.

Saturday 29th March

VITESSE vs. HEERENVEEN (17:45 GMT)

Vitesse face one of their bogey teams in Heerenveen in Saturday’s first game. The Friesland club are undefeated in 13 of their last 14 away matches against the Arnhem side in all competitions.

However, this is a game that Vitesse needs to collect all three points to stay in race for second place and after last week’s defeat to FC Groningen, Peter Bosz will have to quickly pick his men up. Meanwhile, Heerenveen threw away a two-goal advantage to draw at home to NEC last weekend so Van Basten will look for a better performance in Arnhem.

The hosts have problems is defence with Kelvin Leerdam and Guram Kashia suspended and Frank van der Struijk struggling with a hamstring pull, Bosz will have to ring out the changes in his back four. The likes of Hakim Ziyech and the Eredivisie’s top scorer Alfred Finnbogason will look to take advantage.

Heerenveen have Marten de Roon suspended but other than that should be full strength and well equipped to full off a shock in Arnhem. Betfair Sportsbook are offering 9/2 for a away win and that is our best bet.

BEST BET: Heerenveen to win (9/2 – Betfair)

NEC NIJMEGEN vs. HERACLES (18:45 GMT)

Relegation troubled NEC Nijmegen’s season went from bad to worse on Wednesday after doing so well to reach the semi-finals of the KNVB Beker only to be knocked out 2-1 by PEC Zwolle courtesy of an error from goalkeeper Dennis Gentenaar.

NEC have been unlucky with their stoppers as of late with Gentenaar only making a return to the side a few weeks ago after Karl-Johan Johnsson was dropped due to similar performances. Needing points desperately Anton Janssen’s side host 12th place Heracles who themselves are not out of the woods when it comes to relegation to the Eerste Divisie. The visitors are on 33 points, just six points ahead of the bottom three and could easily get dragged into those bottom three spots.

NEC have failed to win nine of their last ten matches in Eredivisie, however, they have just been defeated once in their last seven at home is heartening. I feel both sides cancelling each other out here and providing a result that neither team would like. Our best price in this one is at Bet Victor who offer 11/4 for the game to end level.

BEST BET: Draw (11/4 – Bet Victor)

PSV vs. FC GRONINGEN (19:45 GMT)

PSV are on a eight-game winning streak but they head into game number nine without head coach Philip Cocu, as the former midfielder had surgery to remove a benign tumour on his back on Thursday.

There is some good news for the Eindhoven side however, as club captain Georginio Wijnaldum should make the bench after a six-month absence with a back injury. Even without their manager on the sidelines, you cannot look past the in-form PSV to take all three points.

Groningen are without Michael de Leeuw and Tom Hiariej with young prodigy Richairo Zivkovic also doubtful for the trip to Eindhoven with an ankle injury that will be assessed before kick-off. Although Santiago Arias is doubtful for the home side, Joshua Brenet can fill in with Jetro Willems returning, the PSV defence should be so strong that Groningen will have great trouble in breaching. And with Memphis Depay and Jürgen Locadia on fire at the moment, I see PSV winning and keeping a clean sheet. Best bet is PSV winning to nil valued at 29/20 at Bet Victor.

BEST BET: PSV to win to nil (29/20 – Bet Victor)

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EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE REPORT

Week 29 Eredivisie Report: PSV’s winning streak continues

March 23, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Vitesse suffered a shock defeat away at FC Groningen, NEC Nijmegen performed a two-goal comeback to grab a much needed point at Heerenveen as PSV climb into second place with their eighth win in a row over Roda JC.

Saturday 22nd March 2014

FC GRONINGEN 3-1 VITESSE

Vitesse’s hopes of Champions League football suffered a massive blow on Saturday evening after FC Groningen won comfortably 3-1.

Peter Bosz lead his men to Groningen in hope of keeping the pressure on table-toppers Ajax but they fell behind after just ten minutes when the Amsterdammers’ new signing Richairo Zivkovic took advantage of some lapse defending by Guram Kashia. After the Georgian defender mis-kicked a clearance, the 17-year-old forward sped towards goal with the ball. Confidently the youngster skipped past Piet Velthuizen in goal to finish in the empty net. This was Velthuizen’s 200th appearance for Vitesse, but it was to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

The visitors got back into the game and levelled the game up just before the interval thanks to great vision by Guram Kashia, making amends for the opening goal. Christian Atsu, one of the four players on-loan from Chelsea, showed great composure to chip Marco Bizot after a beautiful lofted ball from the back from Kashia.

After a quiet opening to the second half, the hosts regained the lead in the 56th minute with Nick van der Velden scoring his fourth of the season. Vitesse failed to put a defender on the back post for a Tjaronn Chery corner and Van der Velden took full advantage to side foot an effort home off the inside of the post.

The result was done and dusted just after the hour mark with Tjarron Chery hitting a great left footed low drive from the edge of the areas after Kelvin Leerdam had failed to halt the midfielder’s attempt.

Groningen stay in ninth as Vitesse drop to fourth place, now seven points adrift of leaders Ajax, with the league leaders having a game in hand. The slim hope of their first ever Eredivisie championship has surely now slipped past Vitesse.

TEAMS

GRONINGEN: Bizot, Hateboer, Botteghin, Kappelhof, Burnet, Lindgren, Kieftenbeld, Chery, Van der Velden (Kirm 72), Zivkovic (Zeefuik 86), Kostic (Hagenauw 90+1).

SUBS NOT USED: Van der Lei, Adorjan, Wijnaldum, Cijntje.

GOALS: Zivkovic 10, Van der Velden 56, Chery 63.

BOOKINGS: Van der Velden 70.

VITESSE: Velthuizen, Van Der Struijk (Leerdam 31), Kashia, Vejinovic, Achenteh, Pröpper, Qazaishvili, Atsu, Labyad (Traoré 72), Havenaar (Djurdjevic 72), Piazón.

SUBS NOT USED: Room, Mori, Van Aanholt, Bosz.

GOALS: Atsu 39.

BOOKINGS: Kashia 42, Leerdam 59.

HEERENVEEN 2-2 NEC NIJMEGEN

NEC Nijmegen handed themselves a lifeline in the relegation battle, clawing back from two goals down to Heerenveen to claim a point with only ten men.

Anton Janssen’s NEC, desperate for a good result to help ease their relegation worries, started the better team but against the run of play it was the free scoring Heerenveen that grabbed the lead on 40 minutes. It was a tremendous solo effort from Bilal Basacikoglu as he ghosted through the Nijmegen midfield and defence before firing a low drive past Dennis Gentenaar.

The lead was doubled in first half stoppage time after the tricky Rajiv van la Parra weaved his way in the area and was brought down by Rens van Eijden. Referee Tom van Sichem pointed to the spot and Alfred Finnbogason netted his ninth penalty of the season to take his goals tally up to 24 in 26 games. The goal meant the Iceland international has now overtaken Gerald Sibon to become Heerenveen’s all time leading scorer in the Eredivisie with 48 goals.

NEC were given a lifeline when the in-form striker Michael Higdon netted his 13th of the season with just twelve minutes of time remaining. After Iranian forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh flicked on a Marnick Vermijl cross for the Englishman to take down, control, spin his marker and fire home. The Liverpool-born striker is in real form with the goal being his seventh goal in the last ten outings.

The goal gave Anton Janssen’s men a glimmer of hope of snatching a point but minutes later their chances became greater as Rens van Eijden was given his second yellow for a handball outside the area. However, Heerenveen did not make NEC play and a minute into stoppage time, the relegation battlers stole a point.

After a scramble from a free-kick that Heerenveen failed to clear, Danish midfielder Søren Rieks was in the right place at the right time to fire past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Although, NEC remained second bottom, this was a great point to hold the Heerenveen who stay in sixth place.

TEAMS

HEERENVEEN: Nordfeldt, Marzo, Otigba, Kruiswijk, Raitala, De Roon, Ziyech, Van den Berg, Van La Parra (Sinkgraven 62), Finnbogason, Basacikoglu (Slagveer 86).

SUBS NOT USED: Vandenbussche, De Kamps, Fazli, Warmolts, Van Aken.

GOALS: Basacikoglu 40, Finnbogason 45+1P.

BOOKINGS: De Roon 43.

NEC: Gentenaar, Vermijl, Van Eijden, Nielsen, Leiwakabessy, Koolwijk, Rieks, Conboy, Hemlein (Gravenberch 45), Higdon, Jantscher (Jahanbakhsh 45).

SUBS NOT USED: Johnsson, Foor, Disverld, Štefánik, Castillon.

GOALS: Higdon 78, Rieks 90+1.

BOOKINGS: Van Eijden 45, Leiwakabessy 84.

SENT OFF: Van Eijden 87.

PSV 3-1 RODA JC

Philip Cocu’s PSV defeated the struggling Roda JC by three goals to one to notch their eighth consecutive win to fir them into second spot and just six points behind leaders Ajax.

Before Christmas, no-one would have predicted that PSV would be only six points adrift from Ajax but Philip Cocu’s men are now the in-form side in the Eredivisie racking up eight wins in a row is no easy feat.

Roda make PSV work for the win but unfortunately the class shone through and Jürgen Locadia got the hosts underway on 14 minutes. Santiago Arias and Ji-Sung Park combined to play the young striker through on goal to coolly finish past Filip Kurto.

Roda grabbed an unlikely equaliser before the interval through Mitchell Paulissen. The PSV defenders failed to clear a cross and Paulissen turned up on the left side of the area to side-foot past Jeroen Zoet.

Memphis Depay, wearing a protective mask due to suffering a bruised eye socket last weekend, was a threat throughout and on 63 minutes he provided some magic to help his side regain the advantage. Henk Dijkhuizen had a torrid evening trying to keep the masked man’s skills at bay, but after skipping past the defender with ease, Depay fired a shot which was saved by the legs of Kurto. The rebound fell to Locadia and after his shot was blocked, Bryan Ruiz was on hand to tap home for his fourth goal in eight games.

With quarter of an hour to go, Jeffrey Bruma nodded home a Ruiz corner to seal the win. PSV are now up to second place, and look to Champions League qualification although rivals for that positions, Twente and Feyenoord have a game in hand.

TEAMS

PSV: Zoet, Brenet, Rekik, Bruma, Arias, Schaars (Maher 69), Hiljemark, Park, Depay (Narsingh 89), Locadia, Ruiz.

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Zanka Jørgensen, Jozefzoon, Bakkali, Hendrix.

GOALS: Locadia 14, Ruiz 63, Bruma 75.

BOOKINGS: Locadia 60.

RODA: Kurto, Dijkhuizen, Luijckx, Ramos, Van Peppen, Fledderus, Kali (Bonevacia 81), Djoum, Hupperts (Höcher 79), Donald, Paulissen (Demouge 76).

SUBS NOT USED: Prus, De Beule, Monteyne, Shkurtaj.

GOALS: Paulissen 41.

BOOKINGS: None.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 29 – PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS

March 22, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Just four games this weekend in the Eredivisie and Will Burns returns with his selections and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Saturday 22nd March

FC GRONINGEN vs. VITESSE (17:45 GMT)

Third placed Vitesse visit FC Groningen looking to leapfrog FC Twente into second, taking an advantage of most their rivals for second place not in action this weekend.

Last weekend, Peter Bosz’s men great run of three wins in a row was halted by a 2-1 loss to PSV but Vitesse are level on points with Twente in second and are eyeing the Champions League qualifying place. Groningen are themselves chasing a European football hoping to clinch a Europa League playoff place but Erwin van de Looi’s side have been in poor form, winning only one game in the whole of 2014.

The visit of Vitesse will be too strong for Groningen and I see Bosz side sitting in second by the end of Saturday evening. Bet Victor have them as favourites but at 23/20 the price has great value.

BEST BET: Vitesse to win (23/20 – BetVictor)

HEERENVEEN vs. NEC NIJMEGEN (18:45 GMT)

NEC Nijmegen, desperate for points head to the Friesland to face Marco van Basten’s Heerenveen in what I think will be a tight game, but will promise goals!

NEC’s English striker Michael Higdon cannot stop scoring at the moment, notching six goals in last nine outings and he will be the one to watch for the Heerenveen defence. Heerenveen have no troubles in attack with Alfred Finnbogason leading their line. The Icelandic international has now scored 23 times in 25 appearances, so it no wonder he wanted by some of Europe’s top clubs.

Our best bet has to be Over 3.5 Goals. Games involving NEC this campaign sees an average of 4.07 goals per game (the highest in the Eredivisie). For Heerenveen, well their matches are the second highest in the league, with an average of 3.64 goals per game, so it’s a no brainer that we take 21/20 at Bet Victor for our best bet.

BEST BET: Over 3.5 Goals (21/20 – BetVictor)

PSV vs. RODA JC (19:45 GMT)

PSV are on fire and after winning their last seven games you would fully expect them to defeat Roda who sit rock bottom of the Eredivisie and six points from safety.

PSV’s run is largely due to the goalscoring exploits of Memphis Depay and Jürgen Locadia. One, or both, have scored in each of those seven victories and both have 10 league goals this season. However, after suffering a broken cheekbone last weekend, Depay may not feature this weekend, although it is reported that a protective mask has been moulded for the young winger.

Roda prop up the league where goals have been a problem. Before their 3-1 win over fellow strugglers NEC Nijmegen two weeks ago, Roda had failed to find the net in four successive matches. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s influence in 2014 for the side has not had the desired effect as he has witnessed his side scored just nine goals in the last ten matches.

PSV will win this one to extend their winning streak and I cannot see Roda getting past the PSV defence. Best bet, PSV to win and keep a clean sheet which is valued at 11/10 at Bet Victor.

BEST BET: PSV to win to nil (11/10 – BetVictor)

Sunday 23rd March

AZ ALKMAAR vs. PEC ZWOLLE (13:30 GMT)

Ron Jans takes his PEC Zwolle side to Alkmaar after a great victory last weekend at home to Go Ahead Eagles. While Dick Advocaat’s side may feel a little jaded after a Europa League game in Moscow this past Thursday against Anzhi.

Zwolle have found a little form in recent weeks and I can see this continue into a tough match in Alkmaar. With Kamohelo Mokotjo back in the heart of the midfield, he pulled all the strings in last weekend’s 2-0 win at home to Go Ahead. Without him, Zwolle held their own claiming three away victories in their last six.

AZ will be jubilant and looking forward to a Europa League quarter-final to Benfica but I can see Thursday hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Anzhi maybe slow their progress in this game down. Zwolle can snatch a draw and at 15/4 at Bet365, this bet shows the best value.

BEST BET: Draw (15/4 – Bet365)

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EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE REPORT

Week 28 Eredivisie Report: PSV up to third

March 15, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

PSV extended their winning run to seven games in a row with a great 2-1 win away to Vitesse to lift the Eindhoven side up to third in the league, leaving Philip Cocu thinking… what could his side achieved this season without the mid-season blip he suffered before Christmas.

Saturday 15th March 2014

VITESSE 1-2 PSV

In a ferocious high-octane game where nine yellow cards were handed out by referee Kevin Blom, PSV defeated Vitesse 2-1 in the loud and raucous GelreDome.

PSV needed no inspiration for this fixture after suffering an embarrassing and heavy 6-2 defeat in the reserve fixture at the Phillips Stadion back in December, the Boeren headed into Arnhem looking for revenge. Cocu men’s exploded out of the blocks and got off to a great start after just six minutes.

Vitesse’s number one Piet Velthuizen received a back pass from Rochdi Achenteh and the experienced goalkeeper stuttered with his kicked clearance as Jürgen Locadia closed down. Velthuizen miss-kicked the boot up field and the ball fell perfectly for Locadia to tap the ball home. Not the start Vitesse manager Peter Bosz would have wanted.

PSV were relentless as they sensed Vitesse’s nervousness and on a six game winning streak and brimming with confidence, Cocu’s men pressed for a quick fire second. The usually composed Guram Kashia lost the ball to Locadia on the edge of the box but Memphis Depay unusually failed to get a shot off and let the Vitesse defenders recover and block any efforts on goal.

The hosts began to keep the PSV attacks at bay and calmed themselves down before former PSV midfielder Zakaria Labyad equalised on 19 minutes with a tremendous effort from outside the area. After Kashia laid the January signing on the edge of the box, the PSV defenders were too late in closing Labyad down and he curled his right footed shot past Jeroen Zoet.

Just before the half-hour, the visitors regained the lead in controversial fashion. After a great run down the left wing from Jetro Willems, the left-back was fouled by Jan-Arie van der Heijden in the area and Kevin Blom pointed to the spot. Replays showed that Willems had skipped Van der Heijden’s challenged but the defender trailing arm looked to brush the PSV’s man legs and Willems went down a tad easy.

Memphis Depay stepped up to the take the spot-kick and blasted his shot straight down the middle only to see his effort saved by the legs of Velthuizen. The rebound flicked up high to the back post where Ji-Sung Park headed the ball back across goal so Depay could nod home to make it 2-1.

Velthuizen and his defence protested as they thought that Depay was offside when Park’s header came back to the winger but video showed that the linesman may have made the right decision even though it was a close one. The GelreDome exploded in anger with spurred the home side on and they instantly pressed for an equalising goal.

After the break, the game continued as the first half ended with Vitesse on the all out attack. The defence of Santiago Arias, Jeffrey Bruma, Karim Rekik and Willems held strong and protected their goalkeeper Zoet well, blocking effort after effort, frustrating the hosts even further.

On the hour mark, both sides looked tired as the tempo died down and Depay was replaced by Luciano Narsingh as the young winger has caught an elbow from Renato Ibarra and was groggy as a black eye started to create on Depay’s face.

The game petered out as Vitesse pressed but hardly bothered Zoet in the PSV goal, apart from the odd cross that the Oranje goalkeeper assertively caught every time. They had their chances but Bruma and Rekik stopped any shot before it made to their stopper in goal.

In the dying embers of the game, substitute Lucas Piazón had a glorious opportunity to snatch a point for his side but fluffed his chance as Philip Cocu celebrated his seventh win in a row on the touchline.

PSV temporarily move into third with just two points off Vitesse in second but Twente or/and Feyenoord could leapfrog them with wins in their fixtures tomorrow.

TEAMS

VITESSE: Velthuizen, Van der Struijk (Piazón 69), Kashia, Van der Heijden, Achenteh, Vejinovic, Pröpper, Labyad (Djurdjevic 85), Atsu, Havenaar, Ibarra (Qazaishvili 69).

SUBS NOT USED: Room, Mori, Traore, Van Aanholt.

GOALS: Labyad 18.

BOOKINGS: Ibarra 14, Van der Heijden 28, Havenaar 29, Labyad 33, Achenteh 57.

PSV: Zoet, Arias, Rekik, Bruma, Willems, Schaars, Hiljemark, Park (Maher 79), Ruiz, Depay (Narsingh 69), Locadia (Hendrix 90+4).

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Zanka Jørgensen, Brenet, Matavz.

GOALS: Locadia 7, Depay 29.

BOOKINGS: Park 32, Bruma 42, Schaars 56, Willems 74.

HERACLES 2-1 RODA JC

The in-form Bryan Linssen has now scored nine goals in his last nine games as he notched a brace to lead Heracles to a 2-1 win over the relegation troubled Roda JC.

Roda headed into Almelo with their first win in seven games last weekend against NEC and they started well with Guus Hupperts scoring his eighth goal of the season after quarter of an hour gone. The 21-year-old had the goal put on a plate from after Mitchell Donald combined with Berry Powel before setting up Hupperts to score.

Just before the interval, Heracles settle down their restless crowd with the equalising goal. After some great work down the left by Mark Uth, the ball was played into Bryan Linssen on the penalty spot to slot the ball past Filip Kurto to send the fans in at half-time happy.

With 12 minutes left remaining in the game, Linssen popped up with the winner after some slack tired Roda defending. Collecting Jason Davidson’s pass, the Heracles’ top scorer netted with a lovely calm low finish on the turn inside the area, giving Kurto no chance of stopping.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Roda sit down in the drop zone in 17th, five points adrift of safety with other relegation candidates Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles still to play tomorrow. The win lifted Heracles up into 12th place, six points ahead of the bottom three.

TEAMS

HERACLES: Pasveer, Schenkeveld, Streutker (Quansah 45), Davidson, Te Wierik, Rienstra, Tannane, Cziommer (Bruns 45), Rosheuvel (Bel Hassani 84), Linssen, Uth.

SUBS NOT USED: Telgenkamp, Amoah, Van Dijk, Belterman.

GOALS: Linssen 43 & 78.

BOOKINGS: Tannane 54.

RODA: Kurto, Ramos, Van Peppen, Letschert (Monteyne 87), Luijckx, Höcher (Fledderus 68), Donald (Demouge 80), Kali, Sutchuin, Hupperts, Powel.

SUBS NOT USED: Dijkhuizen, Prus, Paulissen, Bonevacia.

GOALS: Hupperts 14.

BOOKINGS: Donald 54.

ADO DEN HAAG 2-1 FC GRONINGEN

ADO has got that ‘Fraser’ feeling as caretaker manager Henk Fraser has now lead his side to three wins and three draws in his six game in charge and has now surely lead the club out of relegation trouble with today’s 2-1 home win over ten-man FC Groningen.

After a goal-less and dull first-half, it took an Eric Botteghin sending off to liven up the game just past the hour mark. The Brazilian was penalised for pushing Ronald Alberg down while through on goal on the counter. It was a terrible error by referee Reinold Wiedemeijer as he awarded a penalty for the foul but the contact was made well outside the box. Ronald Alberg sent goalkeeper Marco Bizot the wrong way to open the scoring.

On 77 minutes, Groningen’s 17-year-old striker Richairo Zivkovic restored parity with a great strike after Filip Kostic had put the youngster through on goal with a ball over the top of the ADO defence. The youngster set to sign for Ajax in the summer had a ineffective game in the lone striker role before finding the net.

Dion Malone grabbed a 89th minute winner to give the hosts breathing space in their battle for survival. Alberg chipped the ball into Malone’s bearing down on goal for the finish.

TEAMS

ADO: Coutinho, Zuiverloon, Wormgoor, Beugelsdijk, Meijers, Malone, Bakker, Gehrt (Kramer 84), Schet (Van Haaren 90), Van Duinen, Alberg.

SUBS NOT USED: Zwinkles, Buwalda, Kanon, Merencia, Cabral.

GOALS: Alberg 63, Malone 89.

BOOKINGS: Malone 8, Wormgoor 71, Schet 85.

GRONINGEN: Bizot, Hateboer, Kappelhof, Botteghin, Burnet, Van Nieff (Zeefuik 90+1), Kieftenbeld, Chery, Van der Velden (Kostic 64), Zivkovic, Kirm (Wijnaldum 68).

SUBS NOT USED: Van der Lei, Hiariej, Lindgren, Adorjan.

GOALS: Zivkovic 78.

BOOKINGS: Van Nieff 51, Bizot 62, Hateboer 70, Burnet 90+4.

SENT OFF: Botteghin 61.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 28 – SATURDAY PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS

March 15, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Will Burns returns with his selections for the Eredivisie for the Saturday’s three games and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Saturday 15th March

VITESSE vs. PSV (17:45 GMT)

Phillip Cocu and PSV may have finally found his stride and they have eventually started to gel and knocked up six wins on the trot. Vitesse themselves suffered a sticky patch at the beginning of 2014 and have now hit three wins in a row, at least one of the winning streaks will end when they both meet at the GelreDome this Saturday evening.

In undoubtedly the game of the weekend, both sides have different goals. Vitesse are six points behind defending champions Ajax in second, whether PSV are only five points away from Vitesse in second and would love to end up with the Champions League qualification place. This would salvage on what can be classed as a poor season for the Eindhoven side.

Both Peter Bosz and Cocu have virtually full strength squads to choose from and recent history shows that PSV may have Vitesse’s number as the Eindhoven side are undefeated in their last 14 away matches against Vitesse in all competitions.

Watching the last three games for Vitesse we have seen them victorious against relegation contenders RKC and Roda at home and NAC Breda narrowly away last weekend. No great shakes from those three sides so I see PSV a great price at 19/10 at Bet Victor to continue their winning streak to seven in a row.

BEST BET: PSV to win (19/10 – Bet Victor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

HERACLES vs. RODA JC (18:45 GMT)

After receiving a 4-0 pasting courtesy of AZ Alkmaar last weekend, Heracles are in real danger of being dragged into the relegation dogfight sitting just three points above the drop zone. Roda are deep into the relegation places and sit four points adrift but will head to Almelo with the confidence of last weekend’s 3-1 win over NEC Nijmegen.

Yes… shock horror… Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side stopped a run of six defeats on the bounce and scored three goals after not finding the net in four games in a row. The returning Guus Hupperts netted twice and he will be a real threat in this game. Heracles will look to Bryan Linssen, who has scored seven goals in his last ten outings to inspire them to victory.

I see the full-time whistle bring blown ending the game with a result neither side will want – a draw. Both need points but I feel this pressure may cause each side to cancel the other out. For the teams to end the game level, Betfair has offered a great 16/5 and I feel this is our best bet for value.

BEST BET: Draw (16/5 – Betfair)

ADO DEN HAAG vs. FC GRONINGEN (18:45 GMT)

Another two sides struggling this season are ADO Den Haag and FC Groningen, they meet on Saturday evening. However, for the home side, caretaker manager Henk Fräser has yet to taste defeat in his first five games.

Due to their decent form, ADO have gradually moved out of the drop zone with two wins and three draws they now sit two points clear of the bottom three. Groningen on the other hand have only won once and lost three in their last six and Edwin van der Looi will be eager to improve their point total of 30, to steer them away from being dragged down to the bottom.

To play it safe and for our best bet I look at the goals market. Groningen have scored just four in the last six outings with ADO going a tad better scoring six in six. If the current form runs on into this game, then we have to look at Under 2.5 Goals as our best bet. The highest price I can find is at Bet Victor at 5/4.

BEST BET: Under 2.5 Goals (5/4 – Bet Victor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

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EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE REPORT

Week 27 Eredivisie Report: PSV on a roll as Vitesse move into 2nd

March 8, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

The resurgent PSV won their sixth game in a row, AZ continued their winning ways with a 4-0 thumping of Heracles, Roda ended their losing streak to lift themselves off the bottom and Vitesse Arnhem leapfrogged into second place in Saturday’s Eredivisie action.

Saturday 8th March 2014

AZ ALKMAAR 4-0 HERACLES

For the second home game in succession AZ handed out a 4-0 beating, this time, Heracles were on the wrong end of the lashing in Alkmaar.

AZ dominated throughout and the scoring began on 17 minutes after some excellent work on the right-wing by Steven Berghuis holding the ball up until Swedish full-back Mattias Johansson arrived. The Swede collected the ball in the area and put the ball on a plate for American striker Aron Jóhannsson to fire the ball in the roof of the goal.

Heracles were a goal down and Milano Koenders was blamed for placing his team under further pressure on 24 minutes. The defender was shown a straight red card by referee Jeroen Sanders for bringing down Jóhannsson when through on goal, replays shown that Sanders had got it wrong and no contact was made.

AZ pressed on and Aron Jóhannsson grabbed another goal in the 37th minute, as again Berghuis and Johansson combined on the right wing to set-up the American in the area to hold off two defenders to finish.

The AZ attacks were relentless and it was three on 79 minutes with Swedish right-back Mattias Johansson netting his own goal after providing two assists earlier with fellow compatriot Viktor Elm adding a fourth in stoppage time.

AZ stay in seventh place in the league 7th this week while Heracles are 12th only four points ahead of the drop zone.

TEAMS

AZ: Esteban, Johansson (Reijnen 83), Gouweleeuw, Viergever, Poulsen, Gudelj (Henriksen 83), Ortiz, Elm, Berghuis, Jóhannsson, Beerens (Lewis 70).

SUBS NOT USED: De Winter, Hoedt, Gorter.

GOALS: Johannson 16 & 37, Johansson 79, Elm 90.

BOOKINGS: None.

HERACLES: Pasveer, Te Wierik, Koenders, Veldmate (Quansah 21), Davidson, Cziommer (Bruns 63), Rienstra, Bel Hassani (Belterman 29), Rosheuvel, Uth, Linssen.

SUBS NOT USED: Telgenkamp, Dijk, Amoah, Tannane.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Bruns 78.

SENT OFF: Koenders 24.

RODA JC 3-1 NEC NIJMEGEN

At the bottom of the table, Roda JC and NEC Nijmegen switched places as Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side gained ended a six game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over their fellow strugglers.

Returning to the side after an injury, Guus Hupperts scored the first of his two goals after half an hour and he will not get an easier goal. NEC goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson tried to clear the ball with a big kick upfield but was charged down by Berry Powel. Powel held the ball up until Hupperts arrived to tap home. It was maybe just the bit of luck Roda had needed after not scoring a goal for four matches.

Marc Hocher made it two on 53 minutes with a looping free-kick, chipping the ball over the Johnsson. It was not the Swedish goalkeeper’s day. Guus Hupperts notched his second three minutes later after Powel had played the winger through on goal.

English striker Michael Higdon reduced the arrears on the hour mark with his 11th goal of the season for the visitors, but it was to no avail and the score finished 3-1.

TEAMS

RODA: Kurto, Letschert, Luijckx, Ramos, Van Peppen, Sutchuin, Kali, Hupperts (Fledderus 90+4), Donald (De Beule 88), Höcher, Powel (Demouge 82).

SUBS NOT USED: Monteyne, Paulissen, Prus, Pluim.

GOALS: Hupperts 30 & 56, Höcher 53.

BOOKINGS: Kali 28, De Beule 90+1.

NEC: Johnsson, Vermijl, Nielsen, Haitz, Conboy, Štefánik (Palsson 54), Rieks, Koolwijk, Jahanbakhsh (Hemlein 54), Higdon, Foor.

SUBS NOT USED: Gentenaar, Disveld, Mulder, Jantscher, Leiwakabessy.

GOALS: Higdon 60.

BOOKINGS: None.

SENT OFF: Palsson 90+1.

HEERENVEEN 3-0 PEC ZWOLLE

Marco van Basten lead his Heerenveen side to a great 3-0 home win against Ron Jans’ Zwolle at the Abe Lenstra Stadion to stay in sixth place.

After an even first half, where both sides had their chances to take the lead, the opening goal finally came on 37 minutes as Bilal Basacikoglu shrugged off two defenders to slot past Zwolle ‘keeper Kevin Begois after Alfred Finnbogasson had played the midfielder into the box.

In the 68th minute, Rajiv van La Parra made it 2-0 with an excellent goal. After receiving the ball from Joey van den Berg on the left side of the area, the winger took one touch to set himself up to curl home into the top corner giving Begois no chance of stopping.

All three points were cemented for Heerenveen ten minutes later with Alfred Finnbogason once again scoring. It was 23rd goal in 24 games in the Eredivisie this season, finishing Van la Parra defence splitting ball to slide the ball home.

Heerenveen sit in sixth with Zwolle comfortable in eighth, and both will be gunning for European football next term.

TEAMS

HEERENVEEN: Nordfeldt, Dijks (Marzo 33), Kum, Van Anholt, Kruiswijk, De Roon, Van den Berg, Ziyech (Sinkgraven 80), Van la Parra, Finnbogason, Basacikoglu.

SUBS NOT USED: Vandenbussche, Otigba, De Kamps, Slagveer, Fazli.

GOALS: Basacikoglu 37, Van la Parra 68, Finnbogason 77.

BOOKINGS: Van Anholt 64.

ZWOLLE: Begois, Van Polen, Van der Werff, Van Hintum, Broerse, Saymak (Nijland 74), Karagounis (Narsingh 66), Drost, Thomas (Fennich 84), Benson, Hiwat.

SUBS NOT USED: Ter Wielen, Mahmudov, Pereira.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Karagounis 41, Van Polen 47.

NAC BREDA 1-2 VITESSE

Mike Havenaar secured a 2-1 win for Vitesse away to NAC Breda to put his side into second place on Saturday night.

Three first-half goals decided the game and it was January signing Zakaria Labyad, on-loan from Sporting Lisbon, who notched his first goal for Vitesse within the first eight minutes. The midfielder capitalised on some slack defending by Mats Seuntjens and finished the ball past Jelle ten Rouwelaar with perfection.

The visiting fans were not celebrating for long. NAC were soon back on terms after Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot when he adjudged Jan-Arie van der Heijden to foul Rydell Poepon in the area. Ten minutes gone and it was 1-1 after Jordy Buijs converted the penalty kick.

However, Peter Bosz men walked away with all three points and their third win on the trot thanks to a Mike Havenaar goal on 26 minutes. The Japanese striker volleyed home a Christian Atsu cross at the front post.

Vitesse temporarily moved up into second place with FC Twente to play in Sunday’s game. Breda stay in tenth spot six points above the drop zone.

TEAMS

NAC: Ten Rouwelaar, De Roover, Drost, Buijs, Bodor, Kwakman, Matic, Seuntjens, Hooi, Poepon (Perica 24), Verbeek (Sarpong 35).

SUBS NOT USED: Babos, Suk, El Allouchi, Swerts, Van der Weg.

GOALS: Buijs 10P.

BOOKINGS: Ten Rouwelaar 26.

VITESSE: Velthuizen, Van der Struijk, Kashia, Van der Heijden, Achenteh, Vejinovic, Pröpper, Labyad (Qazaishvili 81), Atsu (Piazón 61), Havenaar, Ibarra.

SUBS NOT USED: Room, Mori, Djurdjevic, Traoré, Van Aanholt.

GOALS: Labyad 8, Havenaar 26.

BOOKINGS: None.

PSV 1-0 FC UTRECHT

Philip Cocu witnessed his side win their sixth game in a row to jump into fourth spot still in hope of clinching Champions League football next season.

Dominating the possession the entire game, poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Robbin Ruiter stopped PSV running away with the game. The scoreline was not reflective of the hosts’ control as a clutch of first-half chances went begging.

However, the decisive goal arrived on 50 minutes as Jürgen Locadia notched his ninth goal of the campaign with a scrappy goal. After Locadia fluffed his first chance with the ball, Matthieu Delpierre and Kai Heerings failed to clear and the young striker got another bite of the cherry to score.

PSV still have their eyes on the Champions League place and clinching all 18 points out of a possible 18 in their last six games they have gave themselves a great chance.

TEAMS

PSV: Zoet, Arias, Bruma, Rekik, Willems, Hiljemark, Park (Maher 82), Schaars, Narsingh (Ruiz 77), Locadia (Matavz 88), Depay.

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Brenet, Zanka Jørgensen, Van Ooijen.

GOALS: Locadia 51.

BOOKINGS: Schaars 40.

UTRECHT: Ruiter, Markiet, Heerings (Bjelica 77), Delpierre, Dorda, Sarota (Agudelo 61), Mårtensson, Toornstra, Ayoub (Van der Gun 62), Oar, De Ridder.

SUBS NOT USED: Verhoeven, Diemers, Quesada, Klaiber.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: De Ridder 21, Toornstra 41, Heerings 54, Delpierre 85, Van der Gun 87.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 27 – SATURDAY PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS

March 8, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

After nailing 11 out of his last 14 selections, Will Burns is on fire and he returns with his picks for the Eredivisie for Saturday games and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Saturday 8th March

AZ ALKMAAR vs. HERACLES (17:45 GMT)

Although Heracles were unlucky to lose at home to Heerenveen last weekend, I cannot see them turning things around in Alkmaar as they travel to face a AZ who thumped RKC Waalwijk 4-0 last Sunday.

Good news for the visitors is that regular first-teamers Mike te Wierik and Bryan Linssen return from suspension as they look to gain their first win in five games. They do not have a good record at the AFAS Stadion, with AZ winning eight of their last nine home matches against Heracles in all competitions.

I see that record stretching to a ninth win in ten and by a couple of goals. The best bet of the day is in the handicap market at Bet365.com with AZ Alkmaar -1 valued at 6/5. So we need AZ Alkmaar to win by two clear goals for this bet to come in

BURNS’ BEST BET: AZ Alkmaar -1 (6/5 at Bet365) – Open an account with bet365 today and qualify for up to £200 in free bets with our fantastic 100% Initial Deposit Bonus.

RODA JC vs. NEC NIJMEGEN (17:45 GMT)

The basement boys clash in a vital relegation six-pointer as Roda host NEC and if the home side experience a defeat, then they could be nine points adrift from safety by the end of the weekend.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side are in major trouble and they need to find a run of results and quick. Currently six points from safety, they know that this game on Saturday is a must-win fixture but their main problem is front of goal. Roda have not scored a single goal in the last four games.

However, on the other side, why NEC are deep in the relegation quagmire is their away form. The Nijmegen side have failed to win 17 of their last 18 away matches in Eredivisie. However, who will win this game does not interest me when looking at my best bet.

Roda will struggle in front of goal again in this one especially with their main source of goals; Guus Hupperts, Jan-Mark Fledderus, Frank Demouge, Krisztian Németh and Anco Jansen are all out through injury. They may get one since Nijmegen have not kept a clean sheet for seven matches.

Under 2.5 Goals is valued at 6/4 with our friends at BetVictor and I see that our best bet.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Under 2.5 Goals (6/4 – BetVictor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

HEERENVEEN vs. PEC ZWOLLE (18:45 GMT)

After watching Zwolle’s defence concede three goals at home to NEC Nijmegen last weekend, I predict that this one will be a barnburner with goals galore.

Heerenveen are well capable of scoring goals with the astounding strikepower of Alfred Finnbogason leading their line. The Icelandic hitman has hit the back of the net an astonishing 22 times in the 23 appearances this season.

On-loan striker Guyon Fernandez is also in good scoring form for Zwolle, notching six goals in the last nine games. With the unpredictable Mitchell Dijks sitting in Marco van Basten’s defence, Heerenveen are also open to conceding, they have let 44 goals past in their 26 games this season.

The price of 5/4 that Bet365 are offering for Over 3.5 Goals is well worth a punt.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Over 3.5 Goals (5/4 – Bet365) – Open an account with bet365 today and qualify for up to £200 in free bets with our fantastic 100% Initial Deposit Bonus.

NAC BREDA vs. VITESSE (19:45 GMT)

Vitesse seem to have got over the horror show that the start of 2014 brought to Peter Bosz’s side with two home wins in succession. The Arnhem outfit head to Breda with hope that they can clinch the number two spot in the Eredivisie to qualify for Champions League football.

The hosts, NAC Breda, are in good form themselves and are undefeated in six games that has took them to 10th in the league. Although four of those games have ended in draws.

Vitesse have also had their fair share of draws with three in the last seven games ending level. The last two games have brought wins but at home against two of the three clubs in the drop zone, RKC and Roda so I’m not getting excited by those two results. Bet365 are offering a huge 3/1 for the draw in this one and I see this one landing.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Draw (3/1 – Bet365) – Open an account with bet365 today and qualify for up to £200 in free bets with our fantastic 100% Initial Deposit Bonus.

PSV vs. FC UTRECHT (19:45 GMT)

The final game on Saturday sees FC Utrecht travel to Philips Stadion to face the in-form PSV, who are currently on a hot five-game winning streak.

Philip Cocu has seen his fortunes turned around, and last week’s fantastic 3-2 win away to the tenacious Go Ahead Eagles showed great character coming back from two goals down to take the three points.

FC Utrecht sit in 13th and are undefeated in their last three and with two respectable draws with FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar sandwiching a 1-0 win over Groningen, Utrecht could be capable of getting a something in Eindhoven and bursting Cocu’s bubble.

I see PSV winning again but to give us some real value I see Over 3.5 Goals as our best bet.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Over 3.5 Goals (11/10 – BetVictor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

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EREDIVISIE

Week 26 Eredivisie Report: Fulham’s forgotten man does it again for PSV

March 1, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Bryan Ruiz, PSV striker on loan from Fulham, scored an stoppage time winner in a spirited comeback that saw the Eindhoven side defeat Go Ahead Eagles in a five goal thriller.

Saturday 1st March 2014

PEC ZWOLLE 3-3 NEC NIJMEGEN

Six goals were exchanged in Saturday’s opening game where PEC Zwolle and NEC Nijmegen played out an entertaining 3-3 draw.

Ron Jans’ Zwolle are pushing for a top-eight finish and they found themselves two goals ahead after only 35 minutes. On-loan striker Guyon Fernandez scored after just six minutes after the striker was put through on goal by a defence-splitting ball by Mateusz Klich.

The Polish midfielder got himself on the scoresheet on 35 minutes scoring from a free-kick around 40 yards out. Mateusz Klich whipped a dangerous ball into the box but it missed everyone and sailed past Karl-Johan Johnsson in goal.

The visitors grabbed a goal back just before half-time when Søren Rieks blasted home from outside the box after Zwolle failed to clear a corner.

After the interval, the scores were tired with Englishman Michael Higdon notching his 10th goal of the season. Full-back Marnick Vermijl, loaned from Manchester United, surged into the box from the right wing and laid the ball on a plate for the Scouser to tap home.

Zwolle regained the lead just before the hour mark after defender Joost Broerse fired a long range effort past Johnsson but on 69 minutes the scores were levelled again. Danish midfielder Søren Rieks firing home inside the area from a Kevin Conboy cross deep on the left-wing.

Neither side could find a winning goal and the point means Ron Jans’ side are now in eighth place while NEC remain deep in the drop zone second bottom.

TEAMS

PEC ZWOLLE: Boer, Van Polen, Van der Werff, Van Hintum, Broerse, Saymak (Gravenbeek 90), Drost, Klich, Karagounis (Narsingh 56), Fernandez (Benson 71), Thomas.

SUBS NOT USED: Begios, Mahmudov, Hiwat, Pereira.

GOALS: Fernandez 6, Klich 35, Broerse 57.

BOOKINGS: None.

NEC: Johnsson, Van Eijden, Nielsen, Conboy, Vermijl, Koolwijk, Rieks, Štefánik, Higdon, Foor (Jantscher 65), Jahanbakhsh.

SUBS NOT USED: Gentenaar, Haitz, Hemlein, Disveld, Leiwakabessy, Castillion.

GOALS: Rieks 43 & 69, Higdon 46.

BOOKINGS: Van Eijden 14, Štefánik 84.

ADO DEN HAAG 1-1 NAC BREDA

ADO and NAC shared the points in a 1-1 draw as the hosts missed the opportunity to climb out of the relegation places.

After a goal-less first half, the visitors took the lead with Elson Hooi running onto an excellent through ball by Rydell Poepon and poking the ball past Robert Zwinkels on 55 minutes.

ADO’s Roland Alberg hit a replay just after the hour mark capitalising on a terrible mix-up in the by NAC defender Sepp De Roover. After the Belgian failed to hoof the ball clear, and Alberg steered in front of the defender to poke home.

The point moves ADO (15th) onto 28 points and extends their unbeaten run to four games. Breda on the other hand sit in tenth on 32 points, where the win in this game would have took them into the top eight.

TEAMS

ADO: Zwinkles, Wormgoor, Beugelsdijk, Meijers, Zuiverloon, Malone, Holla, Bakker (Van Haaren 76), Van Duinen, Schet (Wildschut 59 (Kanon 90+1)), Alberg.

SUBS NOT USED: Coutinho, Gehrt, Merencia, Cabral.

GOALS: Alberg 63.

BOOKINGS: None.

NAC: Ten Rouwelaar, De Roover, Drost, Buijs, Van der Weg, Matic, Suk (Swerts 90+3), Seuntjens, Tighadouini (Kwakman 78), Poepon, Verbeek (Hooi 45).

SUBS NOT USED: Sarpong, El Allouchi, Babos, Bodor.

GOALS: Hooi 55.

BOOKINGS: Poepon 77.

GO AHEAD EAGLES 2-3 PSV

PSV came back from two goals down in Deventer on Saturday evening to defeat the Go Ahead Eagles in a five-goal thriller.

The hosts exploded out of the blocks and scored after just 51 seconds of play. After great link-up the ball arrived to Xander Houtkoop on the left wing who fired the ball across the goal for Jarchinio Antonia to slot home at the back post. Some of the fans inside the Adelaarshorst were yet to take to their seats before the goal.

It was two on 25 minutes with Erik Falkenburg grabbing the second with a lovely finish inside the area. After a mix-up with Stijn Schaars just inside his own half, Jeffrey Rijsdijk pounced on the ball and outsprinted the PSV midfielder. Rijsdijk pulled the ball back to Falkenburg who spun in the box and finished past Jeroen Zoet.

Philip Cocu, after leading his side to four wins in a row, trudged down the tunnel at half-time with his sides two goals down. His team-talk must have worked a treat as PSV emerged for the second-half and went onto win the fifth game in succession.

Memphis Depay scored a screamer to give the Eindhoven side hope on 49 minutes. A left-footed power effort that flew into Stephan Andersen’s goal giving the Danish goalkeeper no chance of stopping.

With just over 20 minutes of the game remaining, the visitors levelled the score after the Eagles defence failed to clear the ball from a long throw. Ruiz collected the loose ball and continued in the area until the ball fell perfectly for Jürgen Locadia to fire home from close range.

Cocu urged his team on as PSV pressed for the winning goal but the glory did not arrive until the final minute of the game. PSV used great possession play to control the game and when Schaars caught full-back Santiago Arias bombing down the right, he played the young Colombian in. Arias fired the ball across the goal for Bryan Ruiz to flick home to steal all three points.

Five wins out of five for Cocu and the win means they site just five points of second place which could earn them Champions League football next season.

TEAMS

GO AHEAD: Andersen, Amevor, Van der Linden, Schenk (Haps 75), Schmidt, Overgoor, Turuc, Rijsdijk (Kolder 72), Antonia (Godee 84), Houtkoop, Falkenburg.

SUBS NOT USED: Ter Mate, Azevedo, Lambooij, Pot.

GOALS: Antonia 1, Falkenburg 25.

BOOKINGS: Van der Linden 61.

PSV: Zoet, Jorgensen, Rekik, Arias, Willems, Schaars, Hiljemark, Park (Maher 76), Depay, Ruiz, Locadia (Matavz 70).

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Narsingh, Bakkali, Brenet, Hendrix.

GOALS: Depay 49, Locadia 67, Ruiz 90.

BOOKINGS: None.

VITESSE 3-0 RODA JC

Vitesse looked to back to their best as they temporarily moved back into second position in the Eredivisie on Saturday night. It was a double from Japanese international Mike Havenaar that helped them to a 3-0 win over ten-man Roda.

Peter Bosz side found the lead after just 14 minutes with Mike Havenaar scoring from a back-post header. On-loan Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu gave Martijn Monteyne a torrid time, twisting and turning the defender before crossing to the far post where it met Havenaar’s header.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side are now without a win in six matches and their chances were dealt a blow just before the half-hour when referee Richard Liesveld sent off Roly Bonevacia for a professional foul on Havenaar. Marko Vejinovic curled home the resulting free-kick around 25 yards out.

Havenaar completed the scoring with 15 minutes remaining finishing a good move created by Davy Pröpper.

Defeat leaves Roda bottom of the table, six points from safety after ADO had earlier collected a point against NAC Breda.

TEAMS

VITESSE: Velthuizen, Achenteh, Van der Struijk (Qazaishvili 64), Kashia, Vejinovic, Pröpper, Labyad (Piazón 64), Havenaar, Atsu (Traoré 80) , Ibarra.

SUBS NOT USED: Room, Mori, Djurdjevic, Vink.

GOALS: Havenaar 14 & 76, Vejinovic 29.

BOOKINGS: Kashia 38, Atsu 53.

RODA: Kurto, Monteyne, Van Peppen, Bonevacia, Letschert, Höcher, Donald, Kali, Sutchuin (De Beule 68), Hupperts (Paulissen 40), Nemeth (Powel 80).

SUBS NOT USED: Dijkhuizen, Jacobs, Prus, Pluim.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Donald 13, Van Peppen 45, De Beule 76.

SENT OFF: Bonevacia 27.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 26 – SATURDAY PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS

March 1, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

After nailing his last three tips at 8/5, 10/3 and 11/5 – Will Burns returns with his selections for the Eredivisie for Saturday games and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Saturday 1st March

PEC ZWOLLE vs. NEC NIJMEGEN (17:45 GMT)

Ron Jans’ Zwolle braces himself today for the visit of a NEC Nijmegen fighting for Eredivisie survival. The Nijmegen side sit 17th even thought they have only been defeated twice in 2014.

Indeed in the eight games so far in 2014, Anton Janssen has lead his side to three wins and three draws with losses coming to Eredivisie heavyweights Feyenoord (5-1) and PSV (2-0) and this is why I am backing them to grab a vital point in Zwolle this evening.

Zwolle sit in eighth place desperate to hold onto a Europa League playoff place but after holding league leaders Ajax to a 1-1 draw three weeks ago, they fell 3-1 in Cambuur and had to grab a late equaliser to snatch a point last weekend at home to Heracles. Not the greatest performances and I see 13/5 offered at Bet365 for the draw our best bet of the day.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Draw (13/5 – Bet365)

ADO DEN HAAG vs. NAC BREDA (18:45 GMT)

NAC Breda travel to Den Haag this evening knowing that they are not out of the relegation quagmire as of yet. Although they sit in 10th spot they are only five points from the drop zone.

ADO are 15th, one place above the dreaded three bottom spots and his is due to really struggling to find the net as of late only scoring seven goals in the last six games and not notching in three of those matches.

NAC also have only scored seven in six games and I see our best bet for these two to struggle in front of goal again today. Bet365 are offering 11/10 for Under 2.5 Goals and this is a price too good to miss for this game I see being the borefest of the weekend.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Under 2.5 Goals (11/10 – Bet365)

GO AHEAD EAGLES vs. PSV (18:45 GMT)

Phillip Cocu takes his PSV side to Deventer tonight to face Go Ahead in search of their fifth consecutive win with still a glimmer of hope of finishing second in the Eredivisie to qualify for Champions League football next term.

Once again, I look at goals in this game and although PSV are improving they are missing a vital player at the back today as Jeffrey Bruma will be missing in central defence. Nineteen-year-old Jorrit Hendrix will replace the former Chelsea man and I can see PSV conceding to the Eagles.

The Eagles, are just two points above the relegation places and they aim this season is to consolidate their top-flight position. Young midfielder Deniz Türüç pulls the strings in the Go Ahead attacks and he will need to be on form today if they hope to get anything against PSV.

Looking at the prices today, Over 3.5 Goals offered at 6/5 by Bet Victor looks to be the best bet in this match.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Over 3.5 Goals (6/5 – BetVictor)

VITESSE vs. RODA JC (19:45 GMT)

Jon Dahl Tomasson has a huge task ahead as his Roda side looked doomed, rock bottom of the league five points adrift of safety and unfortunately for the young Danish manager, I do not see it getting any better for him today.

Goals have been hard to find for Roda, with just three goals in the last seven games it is not looking good for the remainder of the season.

Vitesse suffered a blip at the start of the year but a great home win last week against RKC (3-1), with a weakened side, should give them some confidence. I cannot see Roda scoring today, but they cannot stop the talent of the young Chelsea lads – Christian Atsu, Lucas Piazón and Bertrand Traore.

Our best bet in this one is Vitesse to win but keep a clean sheet with is a massive 11/10 at Bet365.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Vitesse to win to nil (11/10 – Bet365)

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EREDIVISIE

Week 25 Eredivisie Report: Ruiz leads PSV to glory again

February 23, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Usually when watching the Eredivisie, the writer does not have time to blink, but unbelievably on Saturday, only five goals were scored in the four games in the Dutch top flight.

Saturday 22nd February 2014

HEERENVEEN 0-0 NAC BREDA

A drab 0-0 draw is a rarity in the Eredivisie but at Abe Lenstra Stadion in Saturday’s opening game the 22,147 in attendance had not much to cheer about.

It was a pretty uneventful game apart from the electricity cutting out in the stadium shortly before half-time. The fans had a party with their mobile phones as their only source of light.

Minutes before NAC Breda had a really good penalty shout turned down by referee Eric Braamhaar. Anthony Lurling, facing his old club for the first time since his move to Heerenveen in the winter, clearly elbowed the ball as he tried to shield his face from an Anouar Hadouir free-kick. As Hadioir protested with Braamhaar, the referee waved the player away.

A draw that helps neither although Nebojša Gudelj will be happy with the point more than Marco van Basten. NAC sit in tenth just five points away from the relegation zone as sixth-placed Heerenveen are now four points adrift from PSV in fifth.

TEAMS

HEERENVEEN: Nordfeldt, Van Anholt, Marzo, Kruiswijk, Kum, Dijks, De Kamps, Lurling (Fazli 51), Van la Parra (Sinkgraven 83), Finnbogason, Basacikoglu.

SUBS NOT USED: Vandenbussche, Otigba, Raitala, Varga, Van Aken.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: De Kamps 79.

NAC: Ten Rouwelaar, De Roover, Drost, Buijs, Van der Weg, Gilissen (Seuntjens 37), Matic, Verbeek (Swerts 77), Poepon, Tighadouini, Hadouir (Sarpong 58).

SUBS NOT USED: Babos, Kwakman, Hooi, Suk.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: None.

SC CAMBUUR 1-0 RODA JC

In a game where both sides were desperate for all three points, it was a stoppage time goal from Paco van Moorsel that gave Cambuur a vital win, that saw Roda have two men shown red cards late in the match.

Poor finishing and great goalkeeping kept the scores at bay until late on but Mitchell Donald missed an easy chance early on. The ever-busy Guus Hupperts made a great run down the right wing and played in Donald at the back post and with the goalkeeper out of reach, Donald side footed his effort wide of the post.

Leonard Neinhuis pulled out great stops to halt the celebrations of Guy Ramos and Hupperts as in the Roda goal Filip Kurto denied Jody Lukoki and Erik Bakker’s effort before half-time.

The visitors are really struggling to score goals, notching twice in the last six games and unable to find the net in three consecutive matches now.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side were reduced to nine men in the space of just three minutes as Kees Lucijkx and Ramos were both booked for the second time by referee Bas Nijhuis.

The winning goal for Cambuur to take all three points came in virtually, the last kick of the game. After a long ball was headed down by Martijn Barto, Paco van Moorsel was in the right place at the right time to poke the ball home past Kurto.

The win takes Cambuur up to 12th while Tomasson is now under real pressure as this is his side’s fifth defeat in a row and remain rock bottom of the league, four points adrift from safety.

TEAMS

CAMBUUR: Nienhuis, Droste, Van der Laan, Bijker, Ritzmaier, Leeuwin, Van Brakel (Mulders 90), Bakker (Van Moorsel 67), Manu (Schepers 84), Lukoki, Barto.

SUBS NOT USED: Zeinstra, Van Boxel, Pereira, Dijkstra.

GOALS: Van Moorsel 90+2.

BOOKINGS: Manu 4.

RODA: Kurto, Ramos, Van Peppen, Luijckx, Donald, Paulissen (Hocher 77), Letschert, Sutchuin, Kali, Hupperts, Nemeth (Monteyne 89).

SUBS NOT USED: Prus, Bonevacia, Pluim, Shkurtaj, Jacobs.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Paulissen 22, Luijckx 29, Ramos 71.

SENT OFF: Luijckx 87, Ramos 89.

PEC ZWOLLE 1-1 HERACLES

Zwolle and Heracles shared a point after substitute Furdjel Narsingh netted a late equaliser for the hosts to send the IJsseldelta Stadion into raptures.

Bryan Linssen was unlucky not to give Heracles the lead on 20 minutes, once he spotted that Diederik Boer raced out to meet Mark Uth, the goalkeeper was out of position when Uth passed the ball into Linssen in the area. The in-form winger lashed a shot towards goal, but Joost Broerse got in front as the ball smashed the defender in the stomach. Boer raced back across the goal to stop Linssen rebound shot.

A few minutes later, Zwolle’s Mustafa Saymak was unlucky not to score as he shot from the right wing which was deflected off the top of Remko Pasveer’s crossbar.

After Heracles missed further attempts from Linssen and Iliass Bel Hassani they finally found the net through an unlikely source on 40 minutes. From a Bel Hassani corner, the unmarked Jeroen Veldmate simply headed towards goal and Saymak failed to stop the ball from passing into the net.

This was the defender’s first goal of the season but strangely enough, he nearly notched again with a similar attempt early in the second half but failed to get the header on target this time.

Zwolle pressed and pressed until but failed to breach Pasveer’s goal. The best effort was just before the hour mark when Thanasis Karagounis and Jesper Drost combined but the latter smashed his effort off the woodwork.

Four minutes into injury time the equaliser finally came to wave a sigh of relief over Ron Jans’ face on the touchline. Substitute Furdjel Narsingh delivered a cool and calm chip over Pasveer to keep Zwolle in eighth place in the standings as the Almelo side stay in 11th.

TEAMS

ZWOLLE: Boer, Van Hintum, Van der Werff, Broerse, Van Polen, Karagounis (Narsingh 66), Klich, Saymak, Drost, Mahmudov (Benson 39), Fernandez (Nijland 88).

SUBS NOT USED: Begois, Hiwat, Fennich, Fernandes Pereira.

GOALS: Narsingh 90.

BOOKINGS: Van Hintum 26, Saymak 62.

HERACLES: Pasveer, Veldmate, Te Wierik, Davidson, Schenkeveld, Cziommer (Bruns 77), Linssen, Bel Hassani (Quansah 90), Rienstra, Uth, Rosheuvel (Tannane 73).

SUBS NOT USED: Telgenkamp, Koenders, Belterman, Powel.

GOALS: Veldmate 40.

BOOKINGS: Davidson 24, Linssen 52, Te Wierik 79, Bel Hassani 89.

NEC NIJMEGEN 0-2 PSV

PSV are really starting to get their game together as they won their fourth in four games over a resilient NEC Nijmegen.

The visitors gave the Eindhoven some trouble but the majority of efforts were restricted to outside the area. On 12 minutes, Navarone Foor tested PSV’s Jeroen Zoet with a looping strike from 25 yards out but the goalkeeper, selected by Louis van Gaal in the Oranje squad this week, caught with ease.

As usual, PSV’s counter attack looked their best threat at scoring and the individual skill of the on-loan Bryan Ruiz was back, as he looked far happier on the ball here than in the Premier League with Fulham earlier this season.

The hosts should have been awarded a penalty just before the interval but referee Bjorn Kuipers missed Jeffrey Bruma pulling on Michael Higdon’s shirt. The Englishman was not happy as the Kuipers was virtually standing on top of the foul and had no excuse for missing it.

PSV improved and created more chances in the second half and went close on 50 minutes with a strong Oskar Hiljemark strike from long range, which needed a strong hand from fellow countryman Karl-Johan Johnsson to tip wide.

Bryan Ruiz got the goal he deserved on 58 minutes, again, after an excellent counter attack from Cocu’s men. After Higdon was robbed of the ball by Santiago Arias on the edge of the PSV box, the young Colombian carried the ball forward into the opposition’s half. Arias laid it off to the Costa Rican on the right wing, where Ruiz cut inside and smashed a low drive past Johnsson at his near post.

PSV finished the game off on 82 minutes with yet another Memphis Depay speculative effort from distance. The young winger set-up the shot perfectly from 25 yards out and his right footed attempt dipped perfectly past the Johnsson and under the bar.

Philip Cocu has now witnessed his team improved to four consecutive wins for the first time since December 2012.

TEAMS

NEC: Johnsson, Vermijl, Van Eijden, Nielsen, Conboy, Rieks, Koolwijk, Štefánik (Jantscher 65), Foor (Hemlein 84), Jahanbakhsh, Higdon.

SUBS NOT USED: Gentenaar, Haitz, Palsson, Mulder, Leiwakabessy.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Koolwijk 19, Higdon 41.

PSV: Zoet, Rekik, Bruma, Arias, Willems (Hendrix 83), Schaars, Hiljemark, Park, Depay, Ruiz, Locadia (Matavz 72).

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Jørgensen, Maher, Narsingh, Brenet.

GOALS: Ruiz 58, Depay 82.

BOOKINGS: Bruma 18.

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BETTING TIPS, EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE PREVIEW

EREDIVISIE WEEK 25 – SATURDAY PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS

February 22, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Will Burns is back with his picks for the Eredivisie for this weekends games and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Saturday 22nd February

HEERENVEEN vs. NAC BREDA (17:45 GMT)

NAC Breda gained an excellent home draw against title chasing Feyenoord last weekend as Heerenveen were on the end of a 3-0 defeat away to league leaders Ajax.

The hosts are forced in to make three changes with Hakim Ziyech, Marten de Roon and Joey van den Berg all suspended so Marco van Basten will look to Anthony Lurling, Daley Sinkgraven and Samir Fazli to fill in and gain all three points. Van Basten’s men home form is promising as in their last 9 games at the Abe Lenstra Stadion, only three sides have left with all three points, all in the top four – Feyenoord, Vitesse Arnhem and FC Twente.

However, Breda are in great form with two wins and two draws in their last four and will head to Heerenveen looking to improve their away record as they have only one win in their last nine games. The best bet for the day would be a great 2/1 at BetVictor for Rydell Poepon to score anytime. The striker is the designated penalty taker for NAC and Heerenveen are suspected in defence for discipline.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Rydell Poepon to score anytime (2/1 – BetVictor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

SC CAMBUUR vs. RODA JC (18:45 GMT)

After a tremendous display last weekend against PEC Zwolle with a 3-1 win and Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Roda still unable to find their feet, one cannot look past Cambuur picking up another three points on Saturday evening.

Tomasson is under great pressure at Roda since taking over after the winter break with only one win in six and after falling at home to fellow strugglers ADO Den Haag last weekend, I feel the Dane may feel more strain at the full-time whistle of this one.

If the hosts can get going like last weekend and exploded out of the blocks, I think we have to look at the best bet of Cambuur to be winning at half-time and full-time at 7/4 at BetVictor.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Cambuur HT/FT (7/4 – BetVictor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

PEC ZWOLLE vs. HERACLES (18:45 GMT)

Ron Jans will looking to get his side back-on-track after last week’s slip up at Cambuur, Zwolle’s first defeat after a run of three wins in a row a draw against Ajax.

Heracles will looking to bounce back after a narrow 2-1 defeat at PSV last time round and will rely on the in-form Bryan Linssen if they are to get anything out the game. Zwolle have not kept a clean sheet since the 24th November last year in a 0-0 draw away to Groningen. That is a run of 12 games in which they have conceded at least one goal.

Linssen has seven goals in his last seven games and let’s see if he can make it eight in eight at a great 11/5 at Bet365.

BURNS’ BEST BET: Bryan Linssen to score anytime (11/5 – Bet365) – Click here to bet on this market and get up to £200 in free bets.

NEC NIJMEGEN vs. PSV (19:45 GMT)

Philip Cocu takes his PSV side to Nijmegen in Saturday’s night game with his club captain, Georginio Wijnaldum back from injury and could make an impact from the bench. Looking to get their season back on course, the Eindhoven side are on a three-game winning streak and they have not recorded four successive wins since late 2012.

NEC bullied RKC Waalwijk last weekend and came away with a great 3-1 away win but target man Michael Higdon, creating a lot of goals with headed knockdowns, will find it tough against PSV central duo Karim Rekik and Jeffrey Bruma, both good in the air.

NEC have no problem scoring with goals in their last ten games but I see PSV gaining their fourth win and winning clear, espeically if Wijnaldum is ready to go if brought on. PSV -1 is being offered at 8/5 at BetVictor so we need PSV to win by two clear goals to win the bet.

BURNS’ BEST BET: PSV -1 (8/5 – BetVictor) – Click here to bet on this market and receive up to £25 in free bets.

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