Sparta Rotterdam - RKC Waalwijk predictions

It’s easy to point out Sparta Rotterdam as the clear favourites, but we wouldn’t call this match completely one-sided. The hosts are definitely more likely to win between the two, but a tie game is another possibility. An away win would be quite a surprise, but we’ve seen bigger upsets.

Considering what they’re up against, RKC Waalwijk can’t set their ambitions too high in this match. Playing as visitors at odds of 6.00 for an away win, calling them underdogs seems like an understatement.

The hosts are coming on the back of a rather mediocre HT/FT draw at Heracles. The hosts in that game were the underdogs according to most betting odds, but neither side managed to gain a convincing advantage over the other.

RKC Waalwijk’s opponents, Ajax, were given odds of 1.12 for a victory with most online sportsbooks. This means that no one was shocked when the favourites pulled ahead in the first half and ultimately won the match 2:1.

The hosts’ fans are somewhat disappointed at them, given the lacklustre defensive performances they’ve seen recently. Sparta Rotterdam conceded more than 5 times over the previous 3 games played at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel.

It’s easy to spot a certain trend when looking over RKC Waalwijk’s recent history – and not in a good way. Their latest appearances were marked by a high concession rate. For example, their previous 3 matches featured more than 5 conceded goals.

A home win seems likely here, presenting a rare opportunity for Sparta Rotterdam to finally move up in the table. Their current position 16th is far from great, though they have 3 points of breathing room between them and the relegation zone.

As the away team and clear underdogs, RKC Waalwijk don’t have a great shot at earning some points in Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel. However, they’ll need to give it their best unless they want to end up relegated. They’re placed at 18th and close to half the season is already over.

These two teams already clashed this season, and Sparta Rotterdam walked away with a solid away win. It was fairly narrow, though, giving RKC Waalwijk supporters some hope for this game despite the unfavourable matchup.

A string of injuries put a large chunk of the visitors’ lineup out of contention. They’ll have to make do without Dario Van Den Buijs, Daouda Weidmann, Yanick van Osch, Juan Familio-Castillo, Richard van der Venne. Given that they were already underdogs anyhow, this puts them at a severely disadvantaged position.

An Under 2.5 Goals bet combines the best of both worlds: it’s a fairly safe bet with a high probability of success, but it also offers decent betting value. You can place it on the 888Sport priced at 2.30 odds.