Eredivisie Playoff: Sparta vs. Utrecht Preview, Betting Tips, Prediction, Picks

The first meeting between Sparta and Utrecht saw guests from Rotterdam winning on the road, 2-1. It was an unexpected result for many, but to be honest, the way the guests played in the opening 45 minutes, they deserved it. Utrecht was more aggressive in the second half, but they couldn’t do much apart from one goal, even though they had the initiative. The stakes in this game are high because the winners head to the playoff finals, and the winner goes to the UEFA Europa Conference next year. 

Preview

Sparta Rotterdam (+130) has a one-goal lead but needs to repeat its performance from the opening 45 minutes of Thursday’s clash. The Rotterdamers have been efficient and rational, playing extremely simple football. Yes, they did have some luck, but overall, they were better than Utrecht. 

This was the third victory for this unit, who defeated Cambuur at home, 4-1, and Groningen on the road, 0-5. Six of their last seven evens saw over 2.5 goals, and overall, Sparta plays offensive-minded football.

At home, we’ve seen them posting mixed results. Inconsistency is the trademark, with them winning every second game in Rotterdam. In the past seven, they were subsequently triumphing and losing. 

Utrecht (+180) is the team that didn’t reach its potential this season. It is the impression our entire tipster crew shares, and we did expect more from Michael Silberbauer’s squad. This team has a similar record at home and on the road, which suggests quality, but the mental preparation hasn’t been properly done. 

In general, Utrecht was playing solid football over the past month or two. We’ve seen them winning five events and losing two prior to Thursday’s failure against Sparta. 

Five of Utrecht’s previous six appearances saw at least three goals, with the latest three ending with both teams scoring. On the road, those numbers are even better, as only one of the past nine failed to deliver three or more hits. They had a wild game in Alkmaar at the end of January that saw a 5-5 draw.

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All of Sparta’s players are ready to play.

On the other side, Henrdriks, Raatsie, Warmerdam and Younes are all questionable and will be a game-time decision.

Head to Head 

Before Thursday’s meeting, these two rivals clashed twice in the Dutch championship. On both occasions, Utrecht was better. The first contest, in Utrecht, saw the hosts beating the rivals, 3-1, while the second game in Rotterdam ended with an even more confident result, 0-3 for the guests at the time. 

Prediction

The first game saw three goals, and the second will do as well. As you can see, these two units, especially Utrecht, don’t care about the venue where they play. Now, when we add that they need to chase a deficit from the opening event, we have all the resources for one high-scoring affair that should include hits on both ends of the field. The odds for that pick are priced at -110, which is a very good offer for the current case.

Pick: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals -110