Prediction: NAC Breda vs FC Emmen

Prediction: NAC Breda to win 2-0

Best Odds: 10/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet

NAC Breda and FC Emmen will lock horns with each other in the 2023–24 Eerste Divisie promotion playoffs. The first leg of the playoff semi-final tie between Breda and Emmen will be held at the Rat Verlegh Stadion in Breda and is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm UK time on Tuesday.

NAC Breda

NAC Breda are one of the most well-known clubs in the Netherlands and are playing in the Eerste Divisie at the moment. They have been in the Eredivisie before and are determined to get back to the top flight of Dutch football.

Jean-Paul van Gastel’s side finished eighth in the 2023–24 Eerste Divisie table. They ended with 56 points from 38 matches and pipped MVV Maastricht to the final promotion play-off spot on goal difference.

NAC Breda, who finished sixth in the Eerste Divisie table last season, beat Roda JC Kerkrade 8-1 over two legs in the first round of promotion playoff and will face either Excelsior or ADO Den Haag in the final if they are able to get the better of FC Emmen in the semi-finals.

Team News:

NAC Breda are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against FC Emmen. Pepijn Van De Merbel will be in goal for the home team and will have Boyd Lucassen, Cuco Martina, Jan Van den Bergh and Boy Kemper in front of him in defence. Fredrik Jensen and Casper Staring will be the two holding midfielders. Roy Kuijpers, Aime Omgba and Dominik Janosek will be the three attacking midfielders. Sigurd Haugen will lead the line for Breda.

FC Emmen

FC Emmen are a modest club in the Netherlands who have only started to play in the Eredivisie or at least aim to play in the top flight of Dutch football. Emmen played in the Eredivisie for three seasons in a row before going to the Eerste divisie for the 2021-22. They bounced back to the top flight straightaway, only for the team to go back down again at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Emmen finished 16th in the Eredivisie table last season and got relegated to the second tier of Dutch football via the playoffs. Fred Grim’s side finished seventh in the league table with 57 points from 38 matches.

FC Emmen beat Dordrecht 3-2 over two legs in the first round of promotion playoff and will face either Excelsior or ADO Den Haag in the final if they are able to get the better of NAC Breda in the semi-finals.

Team News:

FC Emmen are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against NAC Breda. Eric Oelschlägel will be in goal for the visiting team. Mike te Wierik, Dennis Vos, Julius Dirksen and Jeff Hardeveld will be the four defenders. Lucas Bernadou and Maikel Kieftenbeld will be the two holding midfielders. Bradly van Hoeven, Vicente Besuijen and Desley Ubbink will be the three attacking midfielders. Piotr Parzyszek will lead the line for FC Emmen.

Key Factors to Consider

• FC Emmen conceded more goals than they scored in the ‘regular’ 2023–24 Eerste Divisie campaign.
• FC Emmen won just 2 more games than they lost in the ‘regular’ 2023–24 Eerste Divisie campaign.
• NAC Breda lost 12 games in the ‘regular’ 2023–24 Eerste Divisie season.
• NAC Breda scored 61 goals in the ‘regular’ 2023–24 Eerste Divisie season.
• NAC Breda won 15 games in the ‘regular’ 2023–24 Eerste Divisie season.

Conclusion

FC Emmen are a good team and will hope to at least pick up a draw in the first leg away from home. However, NAC Breda do have the better team and playing at home will give them an advantage. It is very likely that Breda will end up winning the first leg.

Prediction: NAC Breda to win 2-0

Best Odds: 10/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet