Eindhoven – Helmond

Netherlands – Eerste divisie, day 11.

Friday 20/10/23, h20:00 

In the name of solidity, Eindhoven opened a streak of two wins in a row (both by 1-0) that make them jump to the very first positions of Eerste divisie. And in a league characterized with high-scoring matches and tactical naivety, coach Weijs' philosophy is a methodological exception that results in battles of intellects where the sense of position prevails over the show on the field. And consistency pays off: Eindhoven can rely on the most robust numbers of the championship, with barely 9 goals scored and 4 conceded (second-worst attack and best defense). They manage to force any opponent to their gameplan and also for this reason they are still undefeated. The other side of the coin? The lack of reference points: only the attacking midfielder Ozan Kokcu seems to have the skills to break a situation of balance. Which in Eindhoven games, is most likely the case. 

Helmond have suddenly changed their face, with two roaring 4-0 victories in the last two games. The main sign must be attributed to the Eerste divisie's top-scorer Martijn Kaars: 7 goals in total, of which 4 consecutive from late September on. To be fair, Helmond have played against vulnerable opponents (Venlo caught off guard and Jong Utrecht) but this does not cancel the reach of their latest performances. Especially considering their previous trend, where coach Peeters' boys seemed to be stuck in a negative streak. Now they can legitimately aim for playoffs, just one point far. 

In 2022/23 Eindhoven and Helmond have seen the away team prevailing by a hard-fought 1-0 in both cases. More in general this is becoming an Eerste divisie's classic, equally distributed (4 wins each) during the last four years. Today another close game is expected, with Eindhoven's tactical superiority eventually leaning the outcome on their side. And don't wait for any fireworks: in 8 cases out of 8 this year, Eindhoven's matches ended with 2 or less overall goals scored.