Preview: Nervy clash at Sportcomplex Zoudenbalch
The Eerste Divisie heads to Utrecht on Monday night as Jong FC Utrecht welcome FC Den Bosch to Sportcomplex Zoudenbalch. On paper this looks like a classic midweek duel where league position and recent momentum tell two different stories: the home side sit down in 16th with 17 points and a run peppered with draws, while Den Bosch occupy a comfortable fifth and bring attacking form that has been lighting up scoreboards. The setting — a capacity 24,500 stadium under lights on 24/11/2025 — promises intensity, and recent results suggest the action will come at both ends of the pitch.
Form and recent headlines
Jong FC Utrecht arrive off the back of a breathless 3-3 stalemate away at Jong PSV, a game in which Markus Jensen impressed with the best rating for his side. Utrecht’s season has been scrappy: four wins, five draws and seven defeats from 16 matches, with just 21 goals scored and a defence that’s conceded 27. There’s resilience in that record — four draws in recent outings — but not enough cutting edge to consistently convert pressure into victories. FC Den Bosch, meanwhile, are flying offensively. They hammered Almere City 5-2 in their latest match and have accumulated 33 goals already this term. Ilias Boumassaoudi was the standout performer in that rout, earning the match’s highest rating. Den Bosch’s results show streaks of winning form mixed with occasional lapses, but their ability to find the net is undeniable.
Tactical clues emerge from the team stats. Utrecht’s home fixtures have produced goals fairly regularly; over 55% of their matches have seen both teams score and more than half have gone over 2.5 goals. Den Bosch are even more prolific in the goal department, with an over 2.5 percentage north of 81% across their games and an aggressive attacking profile revealed in shot numbers and dangerous attacks averages. Head-to-head reminders are also relevant: these sides met earlier in the season with Den Bosch winning 2-0, a result that underlined the visitors’ capacity to get the job done.
What to expect and betting angle
Expect an open encounter. Jong FC Utrecht will look to frustrate and hit on transitions, leaning on set-piece and counter opportunities, while Den Bosch should take the initiative, seeking to exploit space and press for high-value chances. Given the data — a high goals-for tally for Den Bosch, Utrecht’s tendency to concede and the elevated over 2.5 figures for both teams — the game looks set to produce multiple goals rather than a tight defensive struggle.
Betting suggestion: Back the Over 2.5 goals market. The combination of Den Bosch’s 81.25% over-2.5 rate, Jong FC Utrecht’s recent high-scoring matches and both sides’ tendency to be involved in BTTS outcomes makes Over 2.5 the most attractive market value for this fixture. For readers wanting to sharpen goal-market timing and approach, consider reading about the right time to place bets on goal markets, and to understand broader context around pricing and lines, this primer on how the betting odds work in sports betting is useful.