It's early days in the Eredivisie and both Sparta Rotterdam and AZ Alkmaar are still hoping for a flying start in order to set the tone for the season. Three points can make a big difference at this stage.
We should expect both teams to be fresh and ready for this match, as there is some time since both teams last played. Let's have a look at how the teams are doing!
One slightly interesting match fact is that this game is played on artifical turf and that the visiting AZ Alkmaar have a different surface at their stadium (grass). The impact of this is hard to measure exactly, but the visitors stats on artifical turf is 6-2-2 (win-draw-loss) from ten matches.
Sparta Rotterdam form and stats
Sparta Rotterdam's first Eredivisie home game here at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel ended in defeat. Last season their home statistics were 7 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats from 13 matches. Rotterdam has three losses from their three previous games and the tension is increasing in the dressing room for both the manager H. Fraser and the players.
Stress levels are on the rise for Rotterdam's attacking players as they have now played 271 minutes without scoring in a league game. J. Piroe was their last goal scorer.
No payout for Rotterdam in their previous match, an away game at PEC Zwolle that ended in defeat 0-4. Prior to that was the away defeat visiting Vitesse (0-2).
Rotterdam were outplayed and humiliated in their previous game, as mentioned in the paragraph above. They will need to reinstall their confidence before this one.
Early season league goal statistics from Sparta Rotterdam's 1 home game: 0 goals, 1 conceded.
AZ Alkmaar form and stats
One match played away so far in the Eredivisie for AZ Alkmaar and it was a tie. Last season the statistics for their away games were 8 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses from 12 games.
It's another away game for the visitors, as they travelled to Fortuna Sittard (placed 14th) in their previous outing. The Eredivisie match ended in a draw 3-3. A draw for AZ Alkmaar before that, at their own venue hosting PEC Zwolle (1-1).
Drawing 3-3 against Fortuna Sittard after 90 minutes last time out was very disappointing after leading the match 3-1. Their manager A. Slot needs to evaluate why the team couldn't defend their result. As you can tell from the result, the match against Fortuna Sittard was as crazy as a clown in a village circus. Great fun for the neutral supporter with 6 goals, will the fun continue today?
As for goals scored and conceded in the league games away so far, AZ Alkmaar has managed 3 goals and let in 3 from 1 match.
Head 2 Head
H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Rotterdam one win, two draws and AZ Alkmaar seven victories. As for goals, four matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), six games had two or less.Sparta Rotterdam missing players
AZ Alkmaar missing players
| Sparta Rotterdam | AZ Alkmaar | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Played | P | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Won | W | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Drew | D | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Lost | L | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Scored | S | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Conceded | C | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 67% | 0% | 0% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 33% | 0% | 0% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 100% | 100% | 50% |
| 33% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 100% | 100% | 50% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 100% | 100% | 50% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2.3 | 2 | 0 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | 14 | 0 | Total Shots | T S | 12 | 12 | 25 |
| 6 | 3 | 0 | Shots on Target | S O | 6 | 6 | 9 |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 50% | 50% | 44% |
| Sparta Rotterdam | Last season | AZ Alkmaar | |||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 26 | 13 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 9 | 7 | Won | W | 8 | 18 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Drew | D | 1 | 2 | ||
| 11 | 3 | Lost | L | 3 | 5 | ||
| 41 | 30 | Scored | S | 22 | 54 | ||
| 45 | 16 | Conceded | C | 9 | 17 | ||
| 92% | 92% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 96% | ||
| 88% | 92% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 92% | 84% | ||
| 69% | 77% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 58% | 60% | ||
| 42% | 46% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 8% | 28% | ||
| 23% | 31% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | ||
| 62% | 69% | BTTS | BTTS | 25% | 24% | ||
| 23% | 31% | Clean Sheets | C S | 58% | 68% | ||
| 23% | 8% | Failed to Score | F T | 17% | 12% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.8 | 1.7 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.6 | 1.3 | ||
| 3 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 2 | ||
| 322 | 154 | Total Shots | T S | 137 | 362 | ||
| 98 | 55 | Shots on Target | S O | 63 | 138 | ||
| 42% | 55% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 35% | 39% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Ajax | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| 2 | SC Heerenveen | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 3 | FC Twente | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 4 | PSV | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | Vitesse | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | PEC Zwolle | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | Feyenoord | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | VVV-Venlo | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 9 | Willem II | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Heracles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 11 | FC Groningen | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 12 | AZ Alkmaar | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | FC Utrecht | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Fortuna Sittard | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
| 15 | FC Emmen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| 16 | ADO Den Haag | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| 17 | RKC Waalwijk | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 0 |
| 18 | Sparta Rotterdam | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -7 | 0 |
| Last season | Total | Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Ajax | 25 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 68 | 23 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 15 | 45 | 56 |
| 2 | AZ Alkmaar | 25 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 54 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 9 | 37 | 56 |
| 3 | Feyenoord | 25 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 50 | 35 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 50 |
| 4 | PSV | 26 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 54 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 16 | 26 | 49 |
| 5 | Willem II | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 37 | 34 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 25 | 3 | 44 |
| 6 | FC Utrecht | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 50 | 34 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 22 | 16 | 41 |
| 7 | Vitesse | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 45 | 35 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 10 | 41 |
| 8 | Heracles | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 40 | 34 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 31 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 36 |
| 9 | FC Groningen | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 27 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 35 |
| 10 | SC Heerenveen | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 41 | 41 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 23 | 0 | 33 |
| 11 | Sparta Rotterdam | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 41 | 45 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 29 | -4 | 33 |
| 12 | FC Emmen | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 32 | 45 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 33 | -13 | 32 |
| 13 | VVV-Venlo | 26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 51 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 30 | -27 | 28 |
| 14 | FC Twente | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 46 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 24 | -12 | 27 |
| 15 | PEC Zwolle | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 37 | 55 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 30 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 25 | -18 | 26 |
| 16 | Fortuna Sittard | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 52 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 17 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 35 | -23 | 26 |
| 17 | ADO Den Haag | 26 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 54 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 14 | 37 | -29 | 19 |
| 18 | RKC Waalwijk | 26 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 27 | 60 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 40 | -33 | 15 |