Willem II vs NEC NijmegenPrediction, probable lineups, recent form & season stats

The Eredivisie is back and Willem II host NEC after a season with solid home numbers: sixteen home games at 1.5 goals scored and one conceded, 1.9 points a match and only 11% of games without a goal. NEC played the most open matches in the division away from Nijmegen: eight trips, all past 1.5, with 1.9 goals scored and 87% seeing both teams score. A visiting side that never plays closed games The NEC figure is the starkest in the fixture: none of their eight away games dropped below two goals in total, and they were never blanked. Their last six on the road read 1-2 at Groningen, 1-1 at Twente, 2-0 at Excelsior, 3-2 at PSV, 1-1 with Ajax and 1-1 with Sparta: results built against strong opposition. The head-to-head points the other way The six previous meetings finished 1-1, 4-1, 0-1, 0-0, 0-1 and 0-0. Four times out of six the total stopped at one goal or fewer, with two goalless draws. It is the most serious counterweight to the attacking read, even if neither side is the same as it was. The verdict: two goals are needed. None of NEC's eight away games stopped below that mark and 81% of Willem II home games did the same. The head-to-head, full of locked games, is the thing to keep in mind. I read it around 77%. My take: NEC bring goals wherever they go, and Willem II rarely finish at zero at home.