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Groningen vs Utrecht Prediction & Betting tips
In the second round of the Dutch Cup, the KNVB Beker, there is a first division duel on Thursday evening: FC Groningen receives FC Utrecht at Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium. The dress rehearsal for this game took place on Sunday a week ago in exactly this constellation in the Eredivisie. On the 16th matchday, the guests from Utrecht won 1-0.
Can Groningen return the revenge for the defeat in the league? The FCG only got two points from the last four league games. Utrecht, on the other hand, go into the cup game with the tailwind of two league wins in a row.
Even the betting base cannot make a clear favorite and bets in the cup duel Groningen vs. Utrecht put their tip on “draw”.
Groningen:
With the exception of two seasons, FC Groningen has been a regular member of the Dutch Eredivisie for almost 40 years. So far, the club has not had any great success. The only title was won by the “Pride of the North” in the 2014/15 season when the Dutch Cup was won. In the league two third places were the best results.
The club has been trained by ex-professional Danny Buijs since last year. Buijs led the FCG to a decent eighth place. This allowed the green-whites to play in the playoffs for the Europa League qualification, but failed in the first round to Vitesse Arnhem. Before the season, the club had to let players with a market value of a good 15 million euros go.
The team was strengthened almost without exception by transfer-free professionals. After 17 match days, Groningen is tenth in the Eredivisie. The lead on the relegation zone is seven points. The first Europa League playoff spot is five points away. So far, the FCG has only scored 19 goals. Only two teams undercut this figure in the Dutch league.
In the away table you can find the club with nine points (2S-3U-4N) in ninth place. 13 home points (4S-1U-3N) are only enough for 13th place in the home tableau. Seven goals against their own fans are the third best value in the Eredivisie. The goals scored and collected speak before the game Groningen vs. Utrecht for a tip on a few goals.
In the first cup round, Coach Buijs’ men won 2-1 at the third division club Harkemase Boys. In the league, Groningen has been waiting for a win for four games and only scored two points during this period. On Saturday it was only 1: 1 at the penultimate The Hague. The guests had taken the lead in the first half, but were compensated and sent off for defender Deyovaisio Zeefuik before the break.
In the end Groningen was able to take one point home with him. Coach Danny Buijs also received a red card for the away game because he made aggressive gestures towards the officials outside the coaching zone. Thus, the coach may not contact his players before or during the cup game. Assistant coach Adrie Poldervaart will take care of the team on Thursday.
Utrecht:
FC Utrecht has been a member of the top Dutch league since it was founded in 1970. The FCU has won the Dutch Cup three times (1985, 2003, 2004). The best result at the end of a league season was third place (2000/01). In the past four years, the red-whites have always made it into the top 6 in the first division. In the preseason, the former bond coach Dick Advocaat led the club to sixth place.
However, Advocaat had already announced in January 2019 that it would leave Utrecht after the end of the season. As the successor, those responsible signed John van den Brom from AZ Alkmaar. Since there are no large financial means, the club had to operate sparingly on the transfer market in the summer. But this season, the FCU can continue the performance of the last few seasons.
After 17 games, Utrecht is in a good fifth place. The gap to the first fixed Europa League place is only three points. In the home table, the men of Coach van den Brom are ninth with 15 points (5S-3N). Away, the red and whites are stronger with fourth and 14 points (4S-2U-3N). The record of the last five away matches is four wins and only one loss.
This good position in the away table speaks well before the game Groningen vs. Utrecht for a prediction of a victory for the guests. Utrecht currently has a series: on four competitive wins in a row, the team suffered three defeats in a row in the league. The FC could then win the last two league games again. A 1-0 in Groningen was followed by a 3-1 at Heracles Almelo.
In the first round of the cup, the FCU won 4: 1 at the third division club Excelsior ’31. During the week, the club also announced the signing of Ruben Kluivert, the youngest son of former Dutch international Patrick Kluivert. The 18-year-old signed a contract until 2022.
Groningen vs Utrecht head to head matches
08.12.19 ERE Groningen Utrecht 0 : 1
08.03.19 ERE Utrecht Groningen 0 : 0
30.09.18 ERE Groningen Utrecht 1 : 1
19.04.18 ERE Utrecht Groningen 1 : 1
27.08.17 ERE Groningen Utrecht 2 : 1