NEC Nijmegen – AZ Alkmaar

NEC Nijmegen host AZ Alkmaar in what promises to be a stark contrast of ambitions, with the Dutch side perched second on 16 points after five wins and a draw, while the hosts linger in tenth place with just seven points from two victories, one draw and three defeats. The disparity in goal difference – NEC’s modest –11 to AZ’s comfortable +11 – underscores the challenge for the Nijmegen side, who have struggled to find the net, scoring only 11 times while conceding 12. For AZ, the trip to the Goffert Stadium offers an opportunity to extend their unbeaten run and cement a lead over the chasing pack, having not dropped a point all season. Meanwhile, NEC will be looking to turn their fortunes around and claw back into the safety zone before the winter break.