Groningen 2-1 NEC Nijmegen – Result & Analysis

Poisson rates NEC Nijmegen at 43% — the H2H record provides partial corroboration, though signals are mixed in this Groningen vs NEC Nijmegen encounter.

✍️ Match Preview

Analysis & Preview

A Eredivisie encounter, Regular Season - 33 sees NEC Nijmegen travel to Euroborg to take on Groningen. The game is scheduled for Sunday 10 May 2026, 15:45 UTC.

Form Guide

Groningen — All Games: 3W 2D 5L from 10 Eredivisie outings this season, averaging 1.10 points per game. Last five: W W D L L. Offensively they are averaging 1.60 goals per game, with 1.50 conceded. 3 clean sheets from 10 outings provides some defensive foundation. Both teams have scored in 70% of their games — a high BTTS rate that carries real weight in the goals markets.

In front of their own supporters this season, Groningen have posted 3W 3D 4L at Euroborg — 1.20 PPG. At home they are averaging 1.60 goals scored and 1.20 conceded per game. 4 home clean sheets from 10 games (40%) — a solid defensive base on their own ground. BTTS has landed in 60% of their home matches — a rate that supports the Yes angle in this fixture.

Looking at all fixtures this season, NEC Nijmegen stand at 3W 6D 1L from 10 Eredivisie matches — 1.50 PPG. Last five: D W D D D. They are scoring at 1.70 per game and conceding 1.20. 2 clean sheets from 10 outings suggests some defensive organisation. Both teams have scored in 80% of their matches this season — one of the stronger BTTS rates in the division, making Yes a well-evidenced play.

When travelling in Eredivisie this season, NEC Nijmegen have posted 6W 4D 0L from 10 away outings — 2.20 PPG. They are averaging 2.40 goals per away game — strong road scoring that makes them a threat even without home support. Both teams have scored in 90% of their away matches — a high BTTS rate on the road that directly informs this fixture. Their away PPG of 2.20 exceeds their overall 1.50 — they actually perform better on the road than their aggregate form implies.

There is minimal separation in the form figures — Groningen at 1.10 PPG versus NEC Nijmegen's 1.50. The form guide is not providing a strong directional steer; the model and market data will carry more weight in the final assessment.

The BTTS market is worth targeting here. Groningen register both teams scoring in 60% of relevant matches, NEC Nijmegen in 90% (using home/away splits) — both sides above the 60% threshold gives BTTS Yes firm statistical grounding.

Head to Head

There is little to separate the sides historically. From 7 previous meetings, Groningen have won 2, NEC Nijmegen 4, with 1 draws — a balanced ledger that offers no obvious directional steer on its own.

The 7 previous encounters between these sides have been high-scoring affairs — 3.4 goals per contest on average. Historical precedent backs the Over 2.5 goals market. The most recent clash, on 9 Nov 2025, ended 0–2 with NEC Nijmegen winning.

With the win record balanced, the strongest H2H-derived signal is in the goals market. At 3.4 goals per game historically, Over 2.5 is the cleaner angle to extract from the head-to-head data.

In-Play Profile

Groningen in-play tendencies (66 games, 33 at home): they score before half-time in 67% of fixtures in home games; when goalless at HT, a second-half goal follows 75% of the time; BTTS occurs in 48% of their matches (home games); Over 2.5 goals lands in 52% of games (home games).

NEC Nijmegen in-play tendencies (66 games, 33 at away): they score before half-time in 73% of fixtures in away games; when goalless at HT, a second-half goal follows 93% of the time; two or more arrive in the second half on 57% of those occasions; BTTS occurs in 54% of their matches (away games); Over 2.5 goals lands in 54% of games (away games); Over 3.5 in 42%.

BTTS rates are mixed from the trading data — Groningen 53% versus NEC Nijmegen 64%; no strong lean in either direction. The over/under 2.5 picture is inconclusive from the in-play data (Groningen 52% | NEC Nijmegen 65%).

Poisson Model

The Poisson distribution model projects Groningen 1.35 xG and NEC Nijmegen 1.69 xG. These expected goals figures are the primary input: they feed a goal-probability matrix across all scoreline combinations to derive the result and market probabilities below. Underlying strength ratings: Groningen attack 0.941 / defence 0.991 | NEC Nijmegen attack 1.321 / defence 0.843. League average goals — home 1.706 / away 1.294. NEC Nijmegen have an above-average attack strength of 1.321 — the away xG of 1.69 is driven by genuine attacking quality on the road. Data: 66 Groningen games / 66 NEC Nijmegen games used (CurrentSeason).

Result probabilities: Groningen 28% | Draw 30% | NEC Nijmegen 43%. Fair-value odds: Groningen 3.57 | Draw 3.33 | NEC Nijmegen 2.33. This is a low-confidence result — no outcome exceeds 45%. The draw at 30% is a primary outcome, not an afterthought.

Goals markets: Over 2.5 probability 59% | BTTS probability 64% | Total xG 3.05. Over 2.5 holds a meaningful probability edge at 59% — the 3.05 total xG provides moderate support, though the model is not projecting a high-scoring game. BTTS Yes at 64% reflects that both xG figures (1.35 / 1.69) are above the threshold where scoring blanks become the primary outcome — both sides are projected to find the net.

Analysis Verdict

On the Poisson output, NEC Nijmegen are the pick at 43% — marginal model lean. With a 30% draw probability, Draw No Bet on NEC Nijmegen offers a more defensible entry point than the straight win. The opposing side holds a 28% win probability per the model — this is not a banker and should be staked accordingly.

Poisson projects 3.05 total expected goals, pointing to Over 2.5 at 59% probability — strong conviction, supported by form averaging 3.3 goals per game and H2H averaging 3.4 goals per meeting.

The Poisson model's BTTS call is Yes at 64%. Form rates corroborate: Groningen 60% | NEC Nijmegen 90% BTTS from recent games.

🔮 Your Prediction

Sign in to submit your prediction and see how it compares to the rest of the community.

💡 Key Insights