On the basis of statistics, we look ahead to the 35th round in the first division. The two best North Holland clubs of this season will face each other on Saturday, while Telstar can do good business against VVV-Venlo in the battle for a place in the left row.
FC Volendam – Young Ajax
Spectacles:
The last 2 encounters between FC Volendam and Jong Ajax were very exciting. It was 3-2 for the home team last season. At the start of injury time it was 1-2, after which Samuele Mulattieri and Zakaria El Azzouzi in the 95th and 96th minute for a unprecedented final phase took care. Earlier this season there was 4-4 on the scoreboard in Amsterdam. After five goals in the first nineteen minutes, the now-departed Denso Kasius scored the equalizer in the 95th minute.
Volendam strong on April 16:
The 5 previous first division matches on April 16 were all won by FC Volendam. Last year the Volendam team also played on this date. Then Jong FC Utrecht was defeated: 2-3. In the Eredivisie, Volendam lost to Telstar and Willem II on April 16. The best victory took place in 1988. Then on April 16, in De Kuip, Feyenoord won 2-1.
Young Ajax hard to beat:
The team of coach John Heitinga is doing well this season in seventh place. Ajax has remained unbeaten in the last 6 matches. They won 2 times (from ADO Den Haag and TOP Oss) and drew 4 times.
State of affairs at the top:
Last week’s victory over De Graafschap has increased the chance that FC Volendam will be promoted at the end of the season. With 4 games to go, the lead is 4 points over number 3 FC Eindhoven. Excelsior, which is fourth, has 6 points less than Volendam. Leader FC Emmen is 6 points apart. The numbers 1 and 2 after 38 matches go to the Eredivisie.
Advantage for FC Volendam:
Since the entry of Jong Ajax into the first division, this game has been played 8 times. In half of the cases, the 3 points remained in Volendam. It ended 2 times undecided and the other 2 times the Amsterdam promises won.
VVV Venlo – Telstar
VVV has trouble in its own stadium:
VVV-Venlo has not scored in the last 330 minutes in De Koel. Against Roda JC (1-1), a goal was scored after 30 minutes. Then it became 0-0 against FC Volendam and FC Emmen (0-2) and ADO Den Haag (0-5) were too strong. Telstar managed to score at least 1 time in the last 5 away matches.
Playing against old club:
For Randy Wolters it is a special match. The Telstar player played for VVV for 2 seasons and scored 13 official goals for the Limburgers. Wolters has not scored in 11 games this season. Tarik Tissoudali, Ralf Seuntjens Melvin Platje and Cor Varkevisser also played for both teams, among others.
Little chance of a quick goal:
Once Telstar managed to score in Venlo within 5 minutes. Melvin Holwijn scored a goal after just 2 minutes in 2013. Telstar lost that match 2-1. The home team took the lead three times within 300 seconds against the White Lions.
Difficult period for the Limburgers:
It is certainly not a dream season for VVV in tenth place. After relegation from the Eredivisie last year, the Venlonians seemed to participate at the top. However, the play-offs are almost ruled out 4 games before the end. The gap with number 16 Telstar is six points, so you have to look down in the rankings. In case of a win, Telstar can still take a shot at a ranking in the left row.
A point or better 57 percent of the time:
Of the 30 previous Telstar matches in Venlo, only 11 were lost. That does not mean that the White Lions have won more often, because only 6 times did the 3 points go to Velsen-Zuid. The remaining 13 games yielded a point. The last meeting was in December 2016 in Stadium De Koel. It then became 1-1.
VVV-Venlo – Telstar can be heard live at NH Sport on NH Radio on Friday evening. We therefore report on Jong AZ – ADO The Hague. The broadcast starts at 7 p.m.