Excelsior vs. Groningen: Mid-Table Clash at Van Donge & De Roo Stadion

In the Eredivisie Round 15, Excelsior welcomes Groningen to Van Donge & De Roo Stadion on December 5th. 13th-placed Excelsior (16 points) against 8th-placed Groningen (20 points). It's a mid-table clash, but both teams desperately need points to build momentum.

Groningen (8th)

• ●13 Games: 6 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses
• ●Goals For/Against: 19 goals scored / 19 goals conceded
• ●Goal Difference: 0
• ●Points: 20 points
• ●Average per game: 1.46 goals scored / 1.46 goals conceded

Excelsior (13th)

• ●14 Games: 5 wins, 1 draw, 8 losses
• ●Goals For/Against: 14 goals scored / 24 goals conceded
• ●Goal Difference: -10
• ●Points: 16 points
• ●Average per game: 1 goal scored / 1.71 goals conceded

Groningen is ahead in the standings, but their goal difference is 0. Their attack and defense are balanced. Excelsior's defense is weak.

Groningen's Slump

They have recorded 1 win, 2 draws, and 3 losses in their last 6 games. They've scored 1.17 goals per game and conceded more than 2 goals. Their defense is a real problem.

They are taking many shots:

• ●Shots per game: 18 shots (6.33 shots on target)

But they are not converting them into goals. Their finishing is lacking.

Their away record is really bad:

• ●Last 20 Away Games: 16 games without a win (80%)
• ●Last 20 Away Games: 70% loss rate (14 losses)
• ●In 67% of the last 12 away losses: Lost by 2 goals or more (8 games)

They are on a 4-game winless streak.

Excelsior's Home Strength

They have recorded 2 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses in their last 6 games. They've scored 1 goal and conceded 1.17 goals per game.

They are good at home:

• ●Last 3 Home Games: 2 wins, 1 loss
• ●Average goals conceded per game: Less than 1 goal

Their long-term home record is excellent:

• ●Overall Last 30 Home Games: 24 games undefeated (80%)
• ●Last 20 Home League Games: 47% Clean Sheets (9 games)
• ●Last 15 Home League Games: 53% Win Rate (8 wins)

They are a really strong team at home.

Last 6 games in Rotterdam:

• ●3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses (Excelsior's perspective)

It's balanced. In the last 5 overall head-to-head matches, Groningen has won 3, with 2 of those being wins by 2 goals or more.

Excelsior's 4-2-3-1

Marinus Dijkhuizen's team is stable at home. Bergraaf aims to score at the forefront, with Naujoks and de Leuw supporting from the flanks.

Jegojan and Hartjes guard the midfield, and Videl and Meynen lead the defense. Their clean sheet rate at home is high at 47%.

Groningen's 4-2-3-1

Dick Lukkien's team has been struggling recently. Van Bergen is responsible for finishing at the forefront, and Taha and Schroers attack from the flanks.

The Jong and Liesink dominate the midfield, and Blokzijl and Peersman lead the defense. They take 18 shots per game, but they don't convert them into goals.

analysis Probability:

• ●Groningen Win: 41%
• ●Predicted Score: 1-2

The algorithm predicts a narrow victory for Groningen. The number of shots and the recent head-to-head record are key factors. However, considering Excelsior's home record, it's really close.

Excelsior (4-2-3-1)

• ●GK: Van Gassel
• ●DF: Horemans, Videl, Meynen, Tjoe-A-On
• ●MF: Jegojan, Hartjes
• ●AM: Lamprou, Naujoks, Van Duinen
• ●FW: Bergraaf

Groningen (4-2-3-1)

• ●GK: Paes
• ●DF: Dankerlui, Blokzijl, Bech, Peersman
• ●MF: Hove, Duarte
• ●AM: Antman, Taha, Schroers
• ●FW: Van Bergen

A really close game is expected. Excelsior is undefeated in 24 of their last 30 home games, and Groningen has failed to win in 16 of their last 20 away games. It's a contrasting trend.

The predicted score is 1-2, a Groningen win. But this is a really difficult game to predict. It's a scenario where Groningen breaks through Excelsior's home defense with their attacking power of taking 18 shots per game.

Excelsior has a good chance of winning as well. They are really strong at home, and Groningen's away struggles may continue. With the power of the home crowd, they can definitely win.

It will be a really intense clash between mid-table teams. Both teams desperately need points. Groningen wants to break their 4-game winless streak, and Excelsior wants to continue their home dominance.

A draw is also possible. If Excelsior holds out at home and Groningen fails to score due to a lack of finishing, a 1-1 or 0-0 is possible.