FC Emmen – Sparta Rotterdam Prediction & Picks (17.05.2018)

On the basis of the qualities within both selections, Sparta seems to be the perfect favorite to secure the ticket for the Premier League. FC Emmen, however, will not want to participate and is interested in the first promotion in club history.

FC Emmen:

FC Emmen, who has played professional football since 1985, has been a fixture in the Jupiler League since that year. The northerners of trainer Dick Lukkien could end there this week as the team from Drenthe is distorted close to promotion to the Eredvisie. The men of Lukkien finished this season on a shared first place in the ranking of the lowest number of defeats (8) and ended up in seventh position in the normal final ranking. That this does not mean much, FC Emmen proved last week by eliminating number three NEC Nijmegen.

In that first game with NEC, the hosts showed what they are currently capable of. With sparkling football, a 3-0 score was placed on the board within 32 minutes and by the end of the game Glenn Bijl had a goal. Then FC Emmen had to go deep to defend that gap of four goals in Nijmegen. A goal by Alexander Bannink in De Goffert turned out to be crucial in the end, as a 4-1 score was scored after ninety minutes of football.

Lukkien did not have any surprises for the games against NEC in terms of line-up and this time also the trusted names are expected to kick off.

Sparta Rotterdam:

Sparta Rotterdam is currently still alive and that is by far the most important. The South Hollanders have had a moderate season in the Eredivisie and now have to beat FC Emmen to act again at the highest level after the summer. Nevertheless, the seventeenth position is a place that has caused some satisfaction. After half of the season Sparta seemed to be dead and buried, but trainer Dick Advocaat got the team still working, so FC Twente finally ended up in the last place.

The two games against FC Dordrecht, the number thirteen of the Jupiler League, seemed to be ideal in advance for some confidence to refuel, but nothing turned out to be less true. In the away match, Sparta needed a goal from Robert Muhren to win and in Rotterdam the team of Advocaat was released with the scare. The visitors came on a 0-2 lead and seemed to go stunts. Deroy Duarte and Robert Muhren retired the score and that was just enough to reach the final.

The problem at Sparta is still between the two poles for the first game with FC Emmen. Jannik Huth and Roy Kortsmit, the first two goalkeepers, face injuries and Leonard Nienhuis will start again. Behind the name of Miquel Nelom is still a question mark because of a slight groin injury.