RKC Waalwijk finds itself in a challenging position, having not secured a victory in the last five rounds (D1, L4), collecting at least five fewer points than teams outside the danger zone. Desperate for a win, Henk Fraser’s team managed to capture only one of the 15 possible points from their recent five home games.
In their last 11 meetings with Sparta Rotterdam, RKC has only won once (D3, L7), suggesting limited prospects for a positive result for the home team. However, there is a positive note as Mats Seuntjens recently returned, having been involved in twelve goals for the club last season (G4, A8) and possessing the experience to guide the team through this challenging phase.
Relegation concerns are not a worry for Sparta, but Jeroen Rijsdijk’s team hasn’t secured its place in the top half through recent results, winning only one of their last five matches in all competitions (D1, L3). Last weekend’s 2-0 home loss to competitor Go Ahead Eagles dropped Sparta two places in the rankings.
This weekend provides an opportunity for Sparta to regain ground, especially as Go Ahead Eagles and NEC Nijmegen will face each other on Sunday, both having one point more than the current eighth-placed team. Additionally, Sparta has excelled on foreign soil this season, winning three of their last four away matches in the Eredivisie, with only PSV and Feyenoord accumulating more points away from home this season.
Players to watch are Michiel Kramer, who scored four of RKC’s last six goals, and Tobias Lauritsen, involved in both goals (G1, A1) in the previous meeting with RKC this season.
A noteworthy streak: The last seven head-to-head encounters produced half-time draws.
