The Eindhoven giants would be confident to secure their first win away from home against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FK-Zeta-c39360 5-0 in the first-leg of UEFA Europa League play-offs round.
On Eredivisie match-day three, FC Groningen will battle against PSV Eindhoven at Euroborg Stadion on Sunday, August 26. The home side would be gunning to record their first win of the 2012/13 season.
FC Groningen
The Green-White-Army are heading into the match on the back of a demoralising 1-1 draw at home against the newly promoted side, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Willem-II-c40945 Tilburg, last week. The home side failed to assert their authority throughout the 90 minutes, despite starting the match
brightly.
After finishing 14th on the league table, Pride of the North are aiming for a top-half finish on the league table at the end of the ongoing campaign.
Robert Maaskant, FC Groningen head coach, has admitted that the Eindhoven giants are one of the best teams playing in the highest echelons of Dutch football.
“I think that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/PSV-c40281 are the best side in the Eredivisie. They have a balanced squad. It will be a tough test for us”, Maaskant was quoted as saying to Voetbal International.
PSV Eindhoven
The Eindhoven giants are brimming with confidence after claiming back-to-back convincing victories. PSV claimed an impressive 5-0 win at home over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roda-JC-c40375 Kerkrade last week, and then hammered FK Zeta 5-0 in the first-leg of the UEFA Europa League play-offs
round.
PSV head coach, d**k Advocaat, is confident that his side will easily claim a victory, though, the Dutch mentor did warn his troops not to take the home side lightly.
“You should always want to win each and every game. Groningen plays at home and will have attacking ideas. I expect them to try and surge forward into our box”, the former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Russia-c2991 coach was quoted as saying to the club’s official website.
Head-to-Head Statistics
PSV have won two of their last five encounters against the outfit from Groningen. Two fixtures ended in stalemates, while the Green-White-Army secured a win in the remaining game.
Players to watch
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Texeira-c10618 – FC Groningen
The 21-year old netted the only goal in his side’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/AZ-c38571 Alkmaar, and he will be keen to add more to his tally in the upcoming encounter. The Uruguayan hit-man will be the key man should the home side claim a good result.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ola-Toivonen-c28363 – PSV Eindhoven
The Swedish midfield ace has been one of the most consistent performer for the Eindhoven giants for the past couple of years. His impressive showing in the last week, two goals and two assists, played an integral role in his side’s back-to-back convincing
victories. It will be hard for the hosts’ defence to restrict the talented midfielder from finding the back of the net or to create any opportunity.
Prediction
It will be an exciting battle, as both sides would be keen to claim all three points. However, PSV’s recent form puts them the favourites to emerge victorious.
Predicted score-line: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Groningen-c39119 1-3 PSV Eindhoven
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