Alkmaar have a slim chance of qualifying for the playoffs from this position, with nine points currently separating them from the top eight in the Eerste Divisie. They need to win here to keep those hopes alive, setting the stage for quite an exciting game, even if it looks like these sides don’t have much to fight for on paper.
Despite not being in the playoff conversation, Vitesse have remained pretty competitive in the Eerste Divisie, and come into this clash having seen BTTS in four of their last five matches across all competitions, only losing two of these games. They’ve managed to avoid defeat against the likes of Top Oss, Venlo and Eindhoven in this time - so they aren’t lying down and being steamrolled every week.
Alkmaar have also seen BTTS in four of their last five matches across all competitions, and have the stronger motivation to push for all three points. The chaotic nature of the Eerste Divisie means that Alkmaar still have a real chance of making up the points to the top eight, despite the current nine point gap.
Alkmaar’s games on the road in the Eerste Divisie have been full of goals this term, with 55 across their 14 away matches (3.92 per game). Only four sides in the Eerste Divisie have a better travelling record than Alkmaar, so there should be opportunities for them to secure what would be a crucial three points in their hunt for the playoffs - but not without Vitesse getting on the scoresheet.
