De Graafschap vs Den Bosch Prediction - 26th January 2026

The Eerste Divisie serves up a tantalising clash between third-placed De Graafschap and ninth-placed Den Bosch, and all the data points towards one thing: goals, and plenty of them. While the league table suggests a home win might be on the cards, the underlying numbers scream value in backing a high-scoring affair. De Graafschap's recent form is a classic case of 'score one more than you concede'. They've won six of their last ten, but their defensive record is a major concern, shipping 19 goals in that period. They've kept just one clean sheet in ten games, meaning the net ripples behind them in 90% of their matches. Their 4-2 home defeat to Waalwijk just three days ago perfectly illustrates this vulnerability. However, their attack remains potent, averaging 2.30 goals per game over the last ten, with notable away wins like the 4-1 thrashing of Waalwijk and a 3-2 victory at FC OSS. Den Bosch arrive in worrying form, with just three wins from their last ten outings. Their away form is particularly dire, losing all three of their most recent road trips, including a 3-2 defeat at Dordrecht and a 2-1 loss at Cambuur. Critically, they concede an alarming 2.67 goals per game on their travels. While they can score themselves—averaging 1.67 goals away—their defensive frailties are the story here. Their recent 4-1 cup defeat to a strong PSV side and the 3-2 loss at Jong Utrecht show they are regularly involved in high-scoring games. The head-to-head history adds further fuel to the fire. Five of the last six meetings between these sides have featured three or more goals, including De Graafschap's 4-0 win in December 2023 and a 2-2 draw in October 2024. The most recent clash in October 2025 ended 2-1 to De Graafschap, continuing the trend. Statistically, this is a perfect storm for goals. De Graafschap's matches see both teams score 80% of the time, while Den Bosch's games see it 70% of the time. Combine De Graafschap's leaky home defence (conceding 2.00 goals per game at home) with Den Bosch's porous away rearguard (conceding 2.67 per game), and you have a recipe for goals at both ends. The goal expectancy models point to over four total goals, making the Over 2.5 market look incredibly short at 1.38, but the probability justifies it. **Key Points:** * De Graafschap have kept just 1 clean sheet in their last 10 games (BTTS in 80%). * Den Bosch concede 2.67 goals per game on their recent travels. * 8 of De Graafschap's last 10 games featured Over 2.5 goals. * 7 of Den Bosch's last 10 games featured Over 2.5 goals. * The last 6 H2H meetings average 3.17 goals per game. * Goal expectancy models predict a high-scoring encounter. While De Graafschap are favourites and have a strong historical hold over Den Bosch, their recent home defeats to Roda and Waalwijk show they are far from invincible. The value for a straight home win at 1.91 is decent, but the data makes a compelling case that the safest, highest-probability angle is on the goal line. Both teams' inability to defend consistently, coupled with their attacking capabilities, makes **Over 2.5 Goals** the standout betting proposition.