Home and Away: Arts eyeing three points against travel sick Veendam

4Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner picks two Home and Away selections from the Netherlands and Germany to kick start the week.

We're off to Netherlands for our first pick of the day, and focusing on second tier action - as Cambuur host SC Veendam in the Eerste Divisie.

The hosts are in impressive form ahead of this tie, and have not lost in their last six league games on their own patch - a run which will give much confidence to Alfons Arts' side.

Sitting sixth in the league, Cambuur have been largely impressive this campaign, and welcome back the likes of Tim Bakens, Yuri Rose and Mark Diemers, who are fit again after their respective lay-offs.

Two clean sheets in their last two in Leeuwarden suggests that the Yellows' defence could play a key part in the outcome of this game, and they will be keen to build on those performances in this one.

And in the bigger picture, the Arts' side have lost just one game in front of their home fans since early May last year - which indicates just how formidable they have become on their own patch.

Veendam go into this one sitting 10th in the division, and will be desperate to correct a slump which has seen them win just one of their last half a dozen on the road.

Gert Heerkes' side have shipped seven goals in their last three, and, with only three clean sheets from their last 30 games away from De Langeleegte, it appears likely that the home side will notch at least once this evening.

The big question is whether the Veenkolonialen have the attacking prowess to make up for their defensive weaknesses - but two goals from four games on the road suggests that that may not be the case.

Cambuur have not lost in the last six meetings between these two sides, and I think they're a good bet to continue that run here.

Bet 1: Cambuur (HOME) @ 1.68

Switching our attentions to Germany for our second selection, and the 2.Bundesliga - where second placed Eintracht Braunschweig travel to out of sorts Duisburg, looking to leapfrog Hertha Berlin and go top of the table.

The visitors, managed by Torsten Lieberknecht, have been consistently impressive this campaign - and have lost just two games since the season kicked off.

Three wins from their last four away from the Eintracht-Stadion suggests that the Lower Saxony side will be full of confidence and momentum going into this clash, and eight goals scored in their last five on the road shows that their forward line is likely to get their fair share of chances this evening.

In particular, Dominick Kumbela has been in particularly lethal form for the away side, smashing 14 goals in 22 appearances so far this campaign - and it will be interesting to see how he gets on against a Duisburg defence which has shipped 17 in 10 games at home.

The hosts line up for this clash sitting 16th in the table, and will be desperate for a positive result in order to put some space between themselves and the relegation places - a margin which currently stands at three points.

Kosta Runjaic's side are without a win in four, and just two wins from 11 second tier outings on their own patch suggests that the home side may struggle to cope with the quality of their guests in this one.

And to make matters worse for the hosts, they will be without influential midfielder Goran Sukalo, who was sent off against Kaiserslautern a couple of games ago.

The last time these two sides met, Braunschweig ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, and I expect them to come out on top once again - with the chance to go top of the league too good to miss.

Bet 2: Eintracht Braunschwieg (AWAY) @ 2.3