Almere City (home)
- Almere City have won two of their last three home games (W2, L1), losing only to Telstar in the KNVB Cup.
- The home team have been the better of the two teams so far this campaign, sitting 3rd with 38 points from 23 games, while Roda JC are in 7th after taking 36 points from 24 fixtures.
- The bookmakers fancy the hosts at 1.95 for this matchup, with Roda JC 3.4 and the draw 3.75, but there is much to be said for going against the grain here as the visitors have been pretty solid on the road.
Roda JC Kerkrade (away)
- Roda JC have won six, drawn four and lost only two of their 12 away matches.
- Roda JC have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five matches.
Head-to-Head
- Roda JC came out on top when these two teams last met, beating Almere City 2-0 at home in the Eerste Divisie three months ago, but the previous two head-to-head games have been split with each team claiming one win and there having been no draws.
- Almere City have won two of their last three and have won seven, drawn two and lost three of their 12 home league games this term.
Key Players
- Julian Rijkhoff has 11 goals in 22 Eerste Divisie appearances for Almere City and is always a threat to score in the penalty area.
- Roda JC have been playing with the ball much more since van Dessel took over, which has allowed Iman Griffith to showcase his vision and creativity.
- Almere City have scored 31 goals in their 12 home games this season and Roda JC concede 1.50 goals per away game, so we could be in for a high-scoring night if both teams continue to play their natural game.
Betting Insights
- Jeroen Rijsdijk’s flexible front three and adventurous full-backs have given Almere City the cutting edge they need in the second tier, but the Dutch coach’s system is built on quick transitions and dynamic wide play.
- In contrast, Kevin van Dessel, who took over at Roda JC in July 2025, has built a team around possession, structure and pressing from a 4-3-3 system that keeps the ball in the middle of the park and is compact in the centre of the field.
- Almere will look to attack through the flanks and be direct with their wingers and full-backs, while Roda JC will be looking to build from the back and get their midfielders rotating to play through the center of the pitch.
- With so much emphasis on the attack, the odds-on for Almere City look a bit short, so we are going to take Over 2.5 goals at 1.5 as a smart alternative bet.
Prediction
The home side are a good team and much stronger at this venue, so they ought to edge the victory in what could be a high-scoring matchup, but Roda are capable of holding their own on their travels and could grab a point in a tight game.
