In a battle that could prove pivotal in the race for European football, Go Ahead Eagles will host Heerenveen on Wednesday at De Adelaarshorst in their penultimate Eredivisie game.
The home team are seventh with 48 points following their 1-1 draw with PEC Zwolle on Sunday, while the visitors are eighth with 40 points and occupy the final Conference League playoff spot but are just one point ahead of ninth-placed Fortuna Sittard.
Match preview
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Go Ahead Eagles were arguably fortunate to have only conceded once against PEC Zwolle given they faced nearly two xG and three big chances, with Teun Gijselhart missing a golden opportunity to claim all three points from a corner in the closing stages of the game.
It should also be pointed out that the club have only scored once in their last three games, and they have only netted one non-penalty goal in their last four.
Head coach Paul Simonis oversaw a 1-0 defeat against Heerenveen in the reverse fixture on November 10, a match in which the victors scored their only shot on target and produced just one effort from inside the box.
The pride of the Ijssel come into Wednesday’s clash winless in three outings – losing one – and they have in fact drawn four and lost two of their past seven.
While Go Ahead Eagles were beaten 3-0 by AZ Alkmaar in their most recent home fixture on May 4, they were undefeated in their prior 12 at De Adelaarshorst, winning on nine occasions.
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As for the visitors, they lost 3-1 against then last-placed RKC Waalwijk on Saturday, though the defeat can in part be explained by the fact they were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when the score was 1-1.
Heerenveen have proven to be defensively vulnerable in the past weeks, with the team having to pick the ball out from the back of their net 13 times in their last eight games.
Given boss Robin Veldman‘s side will play giants Feyenoord in their final match of the season on May 18, victory on Wednesday could be crucial if his team have ambitions of finishing ahead of Fortuna Sittard.
De Superfriezen’s form is mixed, as while they have triumphed in three of their past five, they were beaten in the other two matches.
It should also be noted that the visitors are winless in their last seven on the road, succumbing to defeat six times in that period.
Team News
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Go Ahead Eagles will not be able to select midfielder Enric Llansana due to suspension, while Calvin Twigt is likely to miss a few more days of action.
Mathis Suray could come into the team in place of Llansana, and he may be partnered by Evert Linthorst behind attackers Oliver Antman, Victor Kaj Edvardsen, Jakob Breum and Milan Smit.
In defence, Mats Deijl, Gerrit Nauber, Joris Kramer and Robbin Weijenberg are candidates to appear in a back four given Dean James and Julius Dirksen are doubts.
As for Heerenveen, they will have to contend with the absence of winger Ilias Sebaoui following his red card against RKC Waalwijk, while forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh has also been ruled out.
Perhaps Che Nunnely and Jacob Trenskow will flank striker Ion Nicolaescu, with attacking midfielder Levi Smans likely to be asked to support the trio.
Centre-backs Jordy de Wijs and Pawel Bochniewicz are set to miss out alongside goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart, and their injuries could mean that shot-stopper Andries Noppert will be protected by Sam Kersten and Hristiyan Petrov.
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
Busser; Deijl, Nauber, Kramer, Weijenberg; Suray, Linthorst; Antman, Edvardsen, Breum; Smit
Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Noppert; Braude, Kersten, Petrov, Kohlert; Van Ee, Linday; Trenskow, Smans, Nunnely; Nicolaescu
We say: Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 Heerenveen
Heerenveen’s record on the road has been poor, and they may come into Wednesday’s game low on confidence following their defeat against relegation-threatened RKC Waalwijk.
Additionally, the hosts have been outstanding at De Adelaarshorst, and they should be considered favourites to claim all three points.
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