• Competition: Dutch - Eredivisie
• Date: Wednesday, 18th, September 2024
• Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20.00 CEST
• Venue: Johan Cruijff Arena (Amsterdam)

In a bid to make up for their infrequent league appearances this campaign, Ajax Amsterdam will take on Fortuna Sittard at Johan Cruyff Arena for their third Eredivisie fixture on Wednesday.

It cannot be denied that Ajax was the biggest letdown of the previous Eredivisie campaign, with a fifth-place finish and a staggering 36-point deficit from the eventual winners PSV Eindhoven being utterly unacceptable for the most decorated Dutch club. Due to their European commitments, Ajax has been less active in domestic fixture compared to any other team, with their only two top-flight outings showing half-hearted performance, opening their campaign quietly with a 1-0 victory over Heerenveen before succumbing to a late 1-2 defeat at NAC Breda on August 18.

As for Fortuna Sittard, they were their own worst enemy last term, as everything they had done well for most of the season was undone at the worst possible moment, failing to win any of their final eight matches (D4 L4), with a disastrous finish causing them to drop out of the top nine and bid farewell to European football. Danny Buijs' team also kicked off the 2024-25 Eredivisie campaign with a bang, netting five unanswered goals against G.A. Eagles and Almere City in their opening two matches, but they soon experienced an unexpected drop, failing to earn any points in the subsequent two top-tier contests.

Ajax vs Fortuna Sittard Betting Tips: UNDER 3.5

The Amsterdammers are favored to claim all the points here, but their initial two performances in Eredivisie have been far from promising, so we don’t expect too much excitement or action, as they are likely to play a more cautious game to avoid further complications. The offensive line of Ajax has seemed rather ineffective, scoring just two goals in their first two top-flight games, and the surprising transfer of Steven Bergwijn to Al-Ittihad will further reduce their potency in the attacking third. However, it should be noted that the Amsterdam club has proven difficult to break down defensively, having recorded four shutouts in their last five home matches while achieving three identical 1-0 victories along the way. 

Reliable at the back in their own backyard, de Godenzonen will be assured of their ability to fend off the Fortune Sittard team, which has struggled to find their scoring touch, having been shut out in all but one of their previous four games in any format. It’s important to note that the 3.5-goal line has proven to be an insurmountable mountain for Fortunezen, as none of their last six consecutive matches have seen more than three goals scored. Given that neither side has been sharp in their finishing, we anticipate a slower-paced match which may put an end to the run of their nine straight H2Hs in Amsterdam that featured four or more goals.