NEC will play host to AZ Alkmaar in the next round of the Eredivisie on Saturday, 29 March.
Will the hosts be able to take advantage of playing at home or will AZ get the three points they desperately need to stay competitive in race for European football? Find out by reading our NEC vs AZ Alkmaar prediction and preview below.
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NEC vs AZ Alkmaar prediction: A narrow win for the guests
Key Stats
- NEC have just one win in their last seven matches in the league.
- AZ Alkmaar have won three of their last five games in the Eredivisie.
- Both teams have scored in 77% of NEC Nijmegen's home matches in the league this season.
Correct score prediction: NEC 1-2 AZ Alkmaar
Although AZ Alkmaar are hardly in fantastic form, they have still done better lately than NEC and that's also true for their overall performances this season. With that in mind, we can see the guests edging out a win on Saturday, but we can see the hosts scoring as well.
Pre-game odds and win probability: NEC given little chance
- HOME: 21/10 (3.10) – 32.30%
- DRAW: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.60%
- AWAY: 23/20 (2.15) – 46.50%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
It is obvious that the guests are the expected winners based on these NEC vs AZ Alkmaar odds, but the hosts aren't without their chance either in this match.
This makes sense looking at the standings where AZ Alkmaar are 15 points ahead of NEC, but the hosts are certainly capable of being competitive in this game.
If you’re on the lookout for more football tips, check out our football predictions page.
Most recent H2Hs: AZ Alkmaar with the advantage lately
With three wins for AZ Alkmaar in their last five meetings with NEC, along with one draw and one win for NEC, it's clear that AZ have been the better team in recent years. Meanwhile, AZ Alkmaar also have the advantage in the overall H2H record: 34-27-18.
Netherlands Eredivisie 17/08/24
AZ
NEC
Netherlands Eredivisie 28/04/24
NEC
AZ
Netherlands Eredivisie 06/12/23
AZ
NEC
Netherlands Eredivisie 29/10/23
AZ
NEC
Netherlands Eredivisie 21/05/23
NEC
AZ
NEC preview: Looking to build on their win from last round
After six matches in a row in the league without a win, NEC Nijmegen have managed to break this poor run with an impressive away win against Utrecht, so they'll be hoping for another good performance against AZ Alkmaar. Overall, NEC are 11th in the standings and pretty much bound to finish in the middle of the table come the end of the season.
When it comes to team news, Basar Onal and Ivan Marquez are out with injuries.
Predicted lineup: Roefs (GK), Lyratzis, Sandler, Nuytinck, Verdonk, Proper, Hansen, Larsen, Crooij, Linssen & Ouwejan
Netherlands Eredivisie 11/05/25
W
Ajax
0
NEC
3
Netherlands Eredivisie 03/05/25
D
Willem II
1
NEC
1
Netherlands Eredivisie 27/04/25
L
Heerenveen
1
NEC
0
Netherlands Eredivisie 11/04/25
W
RKC
1
NEC
2
Netherlands Eredivisie 06/04/25
L
Sparta Rotterdam
2
NEC
0
AZ Alkmaar preview: Chasing Europe
After three wins in a row in the league, AZ Alkmaar have failed to win in their last two games and now they are once again trailing behind other teams in the race for the Champions League or even the Europa League. At the moment, AZ Alkmaar are sixth in the standings, five points behind Utrecht in third place and three points behind Feyenoord in fourth.
Meanwhile, Jayden Addai, Mayckel Lahdo, Ruben van Bommel, Sem Westerveld, and Sven Mijnans are injured and out of contention for this match, while Alexandre Penetra is suspended.
Predicted lineup: Owusu-Oduro (GK), Kasius, Indi, Goes, Wolfe, Clasie, Koopmeiners, Sadiq, Buurmeester, Poku & Parrott
Netherlands Eredivisie 11/05/25
W
FC Groningen
0
AZ
3
Netherlands Eredivisie 04/05/25
W
Go Ahead Eagles
0
AZ
3
Netherlands Eredivisie 24/04/25
D
NAC
1
AZ
1
Netherlands Cup 21/04/25
L
Go Ahead Eagles
1 (4)
AZ
1 (2)
Netherlands Eredivisie 13/04/25
L
Heracles
1
AZ
0
Player to watch: Troy Parrott
One of the main forces in AZ's offence this season is Parrott, who has scored 12 goals in the league so far. The young Irish forward has done well in replacing the team's top scorer from last season Vangelis Pavlidis and he'll be looking to continue his fine season with a good performance against NEC.
