AZ Alkmaar vs. Almere City FC Prediction, Match Preview and Betting Tips, 18 May 2025 - bettingexpert
This Eredivisie clash sees fifth-placed AZ Alkmaar host bottom-dwellers Almere City FC at AFAS Stadion. With 56 points, AZ have secured a play-off spot and are now aiming for home advantage. Their recent form is impressive, with three wins in their last five games.
Almere City, sitting in 18th with just 21 points, urgently need a win but have struggled recently. They’ve not claimed victory in six consecutive matches.
This match is crucial, particularly for AZ as they focus on finishing the season strong.
AZ Alkmaar vs Almere City FC Prediction & Betting Tip
| AZ Alkmaar vs Almere City FC Prediction | |
|---|---|
| Betting tip | Odds |
| AZ Alkmaar to win | 1.33 |
- AZ Alkmaar are in excellent form, securing three wins in their last five games.
- Almere City FC have not won in six consecutive matches and are struggling at the bottom of the table.
- AZ Alkmaar have a solid offensive game, with an average of 2.60 goals scored per game in their last five matches.
Given these factors, betting on AZ Alkmaar to win is a sensible choice for this fixture. The home side’s attacking prowess and defensive stability should see them dominate this encounter.
AZ Alkmaar vs Almere City FC Odds
| AZ Alkmaar vs Almere City FC Betting Odds | |
|---|---|
| Bet | Odds |
| AZ Alkmaar to win | 1.33 |
| Draw | 5.36 |
| Almere City FC to win | 7.79 |
AZ Alkmaar are heavily favored by the bookmakers to come out on top in this match.
The odds reflect the current form and table positions of both teams—AZ are sitting comfortably in 5th place and have already secured a play-off spot for European football, while Almere City FC are languishing at the bottom of the standings.
Given AZ Alkmaar’s strong offensive and defensive records, betting on them to win appears to be a sensible option.
AZ Alkmaar Team Analysis
AZ Alkmaar Recent Performance
AZ Alkmaar has been in impressive form recently, demonstrating their strength both offensively and defensively as they push for a strong finish in the Eredivisie. Let’s take a look at their last five matches:
| Home team | Away team | Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twente | AZ Alkmaar | 14 May 2025 | Eredivisie | 2-3 (Win) |
| AZ Alkmaar | FC Groningen | 11 May 2025 | Eredivisie | 3-0 (Win) |
| Go Ahead Eagles | AZ Alkmaar | 04 May 2025 | Eredivisie | 0-3 (Win) |
| AZ Alkmaar | NAC Breda | 24 Apr 2025 | Eredivisie | 1-1 (Draw) |
| AZ Alkmaar | Go Ahead Eagles | 21 Apr 2025 | KNVB Cup | 1-1 (Loss, Pens) |
Recent Form: WWWDL
In their last five games, AZ Alkmaar has scored an average of 2.60 goals per match and secured two clean sheets, showcasing a balanced attack and solid defence. Their recent 3-0 and 3-0 wins against FC Groningen and Go Ahead Eagles, respectively, highlight their current dominance in the league.
AZ Alkmaar has secured their place in the European play-offs and will be eager to maintain their form to ensure home advantage in the play-offs.
AZ Alkmaar Key Players
AZ Alkmaar will be looking towards their key performers to continue their strong run as they aim to secure home advantage for the European play-offs. Leading the line for AZ is their top scorer, Troy Parrott, although his participation is doubtful due to a groin injury. In his absence, Mexx Meerdink might prove pivotal in the attacking third.
Expected lineup for AZ Alkmaar
- Goalkeeper: Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro
- Defenders: Seiya Maikuma, Wouter Goes, Alexandre Penetra, David Møller Wolfe
- Midfielders: Peer Koopmeiners, Kees Smit, Ernest Poku, Sven Mijnans, Ruben van Bommel
- Forward: Mexx Meerdink
A crucial individual battle will be how Meerdink can fare against Almere City’s centre-backs, Ricardo Visus and James Lawrence. Midfielders Sven Mijnans and Peer Koopmeiners are also expected to control the tempo, ensuring AZ’s dominance in the middle of the park.
AZ Alkmaar Suspensions & Injuries
AZ Alkmaar has a few notable injuries that could impact their performance in the upcoming match against Almere City FC. Here’s the current injury list:
| Player | Injury | Expected return |
|---|---|---|
| Sem Westerveld | Knee injury | Doubtful |
| Jordy Clasie | Calf injury | Doubtful |
| Kristijan Belic | Rib injury | Doubtful |
| Troy Parrott | Groin injury | Doubtful |
| Jayden Addai | Unknown | Early June 2025 |
These injuries could affect AZ’s depth, especially with their top scorer Troy Parrott being doubtful. The absence of Clasie and Belic means coach Maarten Martens might need to rely more on young midfielders like Kees Smit and Peer Koopmeiners.
AZ Alkmaar Tactics and Formation
AZ Alkmaar Tactical Breakdown:
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Key Forward: Mexx Meerdink
- Midfield Trio: Peer Koopmeiners, Kees Smit, Sven Mijnans
- Defensive Strength: Two clean sheets in the last five games.
- Notable Strategy: Strong offensive game, particularly effective in the 76-90-minute interval.
Coach Maarten Martens has shown a preference for the 4-2-3-1 formation, which supports both defensive stability and offensive prowess. The double-pivot of Kees Smit and Peer Koopmeiners offers a solid midfield shield, allowing creative freedom for Sven Mijnans in the attacking midfielder role. This set-up enables AZ Alkmaar to maintain a structured approach while exploiting late-game opportunities.
Almere City FC Team Analysis
Almere City FC Recent Performance
Recent Form: DLDLL
Almere City FC has been struggling at the wrong end of the table, having not secured a victory in their last six matches. Over their last five games, they managed only two clean sheets and averaged a mere 0.40 goals per game, highlighting their offensive struggles.
Here’s a quick look at their recent performance:
| Home team | Away team | Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almere City FC | Fortuna Sittard | 2025-05-14 | Eredivisie | 1-1 (Draw) |
| Almere City FC | Sparta Rotterdam | 2025-05-10 | Eredivisie | 0-3 (Loss) |
| Almere City FC | Go Ahead Eagles | 2025-04-27 | Eredivisie | 0-0 (Draw) |
| SC Heerenveen | Almere City FC | 2025-04-19 | Eredivisie | 2-1 (Loss) |
| PSV Eindhoven | Almere City FC | 2025-04-12 | Eredivisie | 5-0 (Loss) |
Their defence has conceded an average of 1.8 goals per match this season. Coach Jeroen Rijsdijk will need to tighten up his backline and galvanise the attack if they are to have any chance against AZ Alkmaar.
Almere City FC Key Players
In this crucial clash, Almere City FC will be relying heavily on key players to make an impact.
Expected lineup for Almere City FC
- Goalkeeper: Nordin Bakker
- Defenders: Marvin Martins, Ricardo Visus, James Lawrence, Vasilios Zagaritis
- Midfielders: Anas Tahiri, Thom Haye, Junior Kadile, Thomas Robinet, Ali Jasim
- Forward: Charles-Andreas Brym
Key Players to Watch:
- Junior Kadile: With 5 goals this season, he remains Almere’s top scorer and could be a threat on the right wing.
- Thomas Robinet: The attacking midfielder will play a crucial role in linking up play and creating opportunities.
- Nordin Bakker: The goalkeeper needs to be at his best against AZ’s potent attack.
Potential Key Battles:
- Junior Kadile vs David Moeller Wolfe: Kadile will try to exploit the left side, making it imperative for Wolfe to stay sharp.
- Charles-Andreas Brym vs Alexandre Penetra: Brym will have to break through Penetra’s solid defensive work to get shots on goal.
Almere’s players need to step up if they aim to disrupt AZ’s rhythm and pull off an upset.
Almere City FC Suspensions & Injuries
Almere City FC will be heading into this crucial match without any suspensions, but they do have a notable injury concern.
| Player | Injury | Expected return |
|---|---|---|
| Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp | Strain injury | Potential return doubtful |
The absence of Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp could impact Almere’s defensive stability in this match. His potential unavailability leaves Almere reliant on current squad members stepping up to fill the gap.
This injury adds to the challenge for Jeroen Rijsdijk’s men, who are already up against a high-scoring AZ Alkmaar side that has been in formidable form. Almere’s depth will be tested as they look to put in a solid defensive performance.
Almere City FC Tactics and Formation
Almere City FC’s Tactical Breakdown:
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Key Forward: Charles-Andreas Brym
- Midfield Trio: Anas Tahiri, Thom Haye, Thomas Robinet
- Defensive Line: Marvin Martins, Ricardo Visus, James Lawrence, Vasilios Zagaritis
- Goalkeeper: Nordin Bakker
Almere City FC have been favouring a 4-2-3-1 formation under Jeroen Rijsdijk.
Defensive Strength:
- One clean sheet in the last five games, indicating some improvements but still a challenge ahead.
Notable Strategy:
- Typically, Almere focus on a compact midfield to disrupt the opponent’s play.
Almere’s side will need a disciplined and resilient performance to contain AZ Alkmaar’s potent attacking threats.
AZ Alkmaar vs Almere City FC Head-to-Head Statistics
| Home team | Away team | Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almere City FC | AZ Alkmaar | 2024-08-10 | Eredivisie | 0-1 (Loss) |
| Almere City FC | AZ Alkmaar | 2024-02-10 | Eredivisie | 0-0 (Draw) |
| AZ Alkmaar | Almere City FC | 2023-12-09 | Eredivisie | 4-1 (Win) |
| Almere City FC | AZ Alkmaar | 2017-10-26 | KNVB Cup | 0-4 (Loss) |
| AZ Alkmaar | Almere City FC | 2016-07-16 | Club Friendlies | 4-0 (Win) |
The head-to-head record clearly favors AZ Alkmaar, with three wins and one draw in the last five meetings. AZ Alkmaar has been dominant, scoring 13 goals while conceding just one in those encounters. This historical performance underlines AZ Alkmaar’s strong position going into this match.
Odds accurate as of 16 May 2025 at 13:31, and are subject to change. Please always check the odds before placing your bets with any bookmaker.
