Eredivisie side NEC are appearing in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers for the first time and their tie with Greek outfit Olympiacos on Tuesday is in the balance following a scoreless first leg in Greece.
The Dutch side have struggled in front of goal at the start of this new season and will have to grind out a result based on recent efforts if they are to move forward to face either Union Saint-Gilloise or Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League play-off round.
Olympiacos failed to win in four games, three of those pre-season runouts, before the first-leg draw.
NEC v Olympiacos Tips Summary
Best Bet - Olympiacos to qualify in extra-time @ 10/1
Alternative Bet - Under 2.5 goals @ 8/11
Bet Builder - Olympiacos to qualify, Under 4 goals & Ayoub El Kaabi 2+ shots on target @ 9/2
NEC v Olympiacos Prediction
Best Bet: Olympiacos to qualify in extra-time @ 10/1
The first leg was a closely contested affair with Olympiacos forcing matters as the home side, but they never really looked like engineering the breakthrough goal.
NEC will hope to adopt the dominant role at what is sure to be rocking Goffertstadion, but Dick Schreuder's side must be wary of a gung-ho approach against a visiting Olympiacos side with vastly more experience on the European stage.
The Greeks travel well, ending last season with just one defeat in 16 away games. They can make this tough for their Dutch hosts and another 90-minute stalemate - priced at 21/10 - is something to consider.
Jose Luis Mendilibar's team have failed to win any of their last four matches - including pre-season games - but they can hang tough in Nijmegen, where hosts NEC were beaten in their Eredivisie opener at the weekend.
The Greek side have previous when it comes to extra-time too, winning the 2023/24 Conference League against Fiorentina with a single goal in extra-time.
History may repeat for the Red and Whites in the Netherlands against the hosts, who have just one win in their last eight competitive games.
Alternative Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 8/11
A free-scoring contest seems unlikely with so much on the line for both clubs. Indeed, just three of Olympiacos's last 11 games in the UEFA Champions League have gone over 2.5 goals.
NEC have scored more than once in just one of their last eight competitive games, stretching back to early May.
Olympiacos have kept clean sheets in eight of their last 13 competitive games on their travels, including at Bayer Leverkusen in this competition in February, and they have leaked multiple goals just once during that sequence.
They will be hard to break down and can make life very tough for an NEC side reeling from the loss of star performer Kodai Sano to PSV, while the likes of Perr Schuurs, Bram Nuytinck and Yassin Moslih are carrying injuries.
NEC v Olympiacos Bet Builder Tip
Olympiacos to qualify
Under 4 goals
Ayoub El Kaabi 2+ shots on target
Pays 9/2
A raucous atmosphere is assured in Nijmegen for this second leg but that will bring added pressure to an NEC side with limited European experience and a recent lack of form to contend with.
Olympiacos have been around the block.
They were Conference League winners in 2023/24 and finished 18th in the League Phase of the UEFA Champions League last season, avoiding defeat in five of eight games, winning in Amsterdam against Ajax and at home against Bayer Leverkusen as well as a 4-3 loss against Real Madrid.
They have the know-how to get this job done but a goal-fest does not seem likely, as just three of the Greeks' last 11 games in this competition went over 2.5 goals and only one of NEC's last nine competitive games have produced over 3.5 goals.
After being at the World Cup with Morocco, striker Ayoub El Kaabi was given additional rest time by Olympiacos.
He played 90 minutes in the first leg and while he could not get on the scoresheet, he did fire two shots on target. He can repeat that feat in this game.
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Key Match Stats
Both teams have scored in seven of NEC's last eight competitive games
Over 2.5 goals has landed just once in Olympiacos' previous eight competitive games
Olympiacos have won just one of five previous games against Dutch opponents (D3, L1)
NEC have lost just one of their last seven competitive home games, Saturday's season-opener against Telstar
Olympiacos ended last season with just one reverse in 16 games away from home (W10, L5)
Ayoub El Kaabi scored 21 goals for Olympiacos last season and featured for Morocco at the World Cup this summer
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
