Fighting for their Eredivisie survival with two games remaining, strugglers Willem II will welcome PEC Zwolle to Sportpark Den Donk on Wednesday.
The Tricolores will be desperate to avoid their 13th loss of 2025 this week, while the Blauwvingers will be looking to make it three matches unbeaten.
Match preview
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Kristof Aelbrecht‘s Willem II have endured a difficult season overall following their promotion to the top flight, but a particularly disastrous 2025 has left them on the brink of demotion having failed to win any of their 15 games this year.
Peter Maes, the head-coach that had topped the 2023-24 Eerste Divisie with the Tricolores, parted ways with the club on April 30 after a string of eight consecutive defeats, leaving his assistant, Aelbrecht, as interim boss.
The relegation-threatened side earned a rare point in a 1-1 draw with NEC Nijmegen in their first game under their temporary manager, but were back to losing last time out when they were beaten 2-1 by mid-table Heracles.
Willem II’s 19th defeat of the campaign has left them 16th with 25 points, and after RKC Waalwijk won their own game, they are now at risk of dropping out of the division’s relegation playoff spot with the 17th-placed club just three points behind.
A team under such intense pressure would typically draw confidence from playing in front of their home crowd, but considering that the hosts have lost six on the bounce at Sportpark Den Donk, players and fans alike will be doubtful of a positive result in midweek.
Regardless, if Aelbrecht’s men can secure their first win of 2025, then they would all but confirm their spot in the playoff given that they boast a nine-superior goal difference over Waalwijk, though another defeat would give their rivals the chance to go level on points ahead of the final matchday.
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Meanwhile, Johnny Jansen‘s Zwolle are safe from the drop after recording only one loss from their last seven Eredivisie games, and their resilience puts them in good stead for their trip to face Willem II.
On Sunday, the Blauwvingers impressively drew 1-1 with seventh-placed Go Ahead Eagles, who have already solidified their spot in the UEFA Conference League playoffs for next term.
That point has Jansen’s side 14th with 35 points, and given that they are just five behind eighth-placed Heerenveen, they will feel capable of climbing the table with two matches to play.
Adding to this feeling of possibility will be the visitors’ 3-1 victory over NAC Breda in their most recent away fixture, and having tasted defeat in only one of their last four on the road – a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of giants Feyenoord – fans may even be expecting to triumph over one of the league’s relegation candidates.
Should Zwolle earn what would be their ninth win of the campaign, then they could climb up to 11th, leapfrogging NEC, Heracles and Groningen in the process, and going level on points with 10th-placed Sparta Rotterdam in a best-case scenario.
Team News
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Willem II will welcome centre-half Raffael Behounek back into the XI this week after he served a suspension last time out, so expect him to line up alongside Erik Schouten at the heart of Aelbrecht’s defence.
Elsewhere, striker Jeremy Bokila will be hoping to score in back-to-back matches after netting against Heracles, and he should be supported by Emilio Kehrer and Ringo Meerveld, with Kyan Vaesen operating in an attacking midfield role.
As for Zwolle, Younes Namil was the man of the match against Go Ahead Eagles, and he is likely to back up striker Odysseus Velanas once again on Wednesday.
In the central third, Ryan Thomas and Davy van den Berg will be looking to provide a platform for him to play from, while Dylan Mbayo and Filip Krastev provide width.
Willem II possible starting lineup:
Didillon; Jago, Behounek, Schouten, Nizet; Lachkar, Bosch; Kehrer, Vaesen, Meerveld; Bokila
PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:
Schendelaar; Reijnders, Jensen, McNulty, Floranus; Thomas, Van den Berg; Mbayo, Namli, Filip; Velanas
We say: Willem II 0-2 PEC Zwolle
Willem II have struggled throughout this calendar year, and it remains to be seen how they will respond to the pressure coming from Waalwijk, who are threatening to take their place in the relegation playoff.
The Tricolores may also find it difficult to break down Zwolle, who have proven their resilience in recent weeks.
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