Aiming to turn their fortunes around at the bottom of the division, FC Volendam will welcome Europe-chasing NEC to Kras Stadion on Friday night for an Eredivisie clash.
Het Nieuwe Oranje were thumped at home by Heerenveen last time out, while Nijmegen have enjoyed back-to-back successes across the league and KNVB Cup over the past week.
Match preview
Volendam's hopes of avoiding relegation to the Eerste Divisie have taken another seismic hit after they endured a four-goal defeat at the hands of Heerenveen at Kras Stadion last Sunday, ending a February schedule which yielded just a single point from a quartet of Eredivisie clashes.
Despite having a fair share of the possession last time out, Het Nieuwe Oranje always looked to be heading towards another loss, with a Pelle van Amersfoort brace alongside goals from Simon Olsson and Thom Haye securing a relatively simple three points for Kees van Wonderen's men.
Taking charge of Volendam near the end of December following the departure of former head coach Matthias Kohler, Regillio Simons has failed to win any of his seven competitive matches in charge, meaning that the club's two-year stay in the top flight appears set to end in May.
Having not collected maximum points from an Eredivisie meeting since December 16 at Abe Lenstra Stadion versus Heerenveen, Het Nieuwe Oranje are rooted firmly to the foot of the top-flight standings with just 13 points from 23 league outings, eight points behind 15th-placed SBV Excelsior.
After netting a sensational 29 goals during Volendam's promotion-winning campaign of 2021-22, 34-year-old Robert Muhren is doing his utmost at the top of the pitch to fight for his side's safety this term, with the forward currently leading his club's Golden Boot race with five league goals.
NEC are now just 90 minutes away from lifting their first-ever major honour following the KNVB Beker semi-final victory over second-tier outfit Cambuur on Tuesday night at Cambuur Stadion, although the visitors were made to work extremely hard for their spot in the showpiece match.
Against the run of play, Cambuur raced into a first-half lead thanks to a goal from Roberts Uldrikis before Koki Ogawa fired back for Nijemen in order to take the contest to extra time, in which midfielder Kodai Sano popped up with his maiden goal for NEC to seal progression into the final.
A game versus either Eredivisie champions Feyenoord or Eerste Divisie outfit Groningen awaits NEC in the final, but first Rogier Meijer's men must refocus their attention on first-tier matters, with Friday's visitors losing just one of their last 10 matches in the Dutch top flight.
After back-to-back mid-table finishes provided consolidation in the Eredivisie between 2021 and 2023, Nijmegen are now in the race for a spot in the Europa Conference League next term, with NEC currently sitting in seventh place, four points ahead of ninth-placed Sparta Rotterdam.
Key to NEC's impressive campaign to date has been their form at Goffertstadion, with Meijer's side winning only two of their 11 Eredivisie outings so far in 2023-24, meaning that they would be 11th if the division was determined purely on away form.
Team News
Volendam remain without the services of midfielder Calvin Twigt, who suffered a foot injury earlier in the month and is not expected back in time for Friday night.
The same can be said for striker Vivaldo, with the Udinese loanee featuring just four times in the Eredivisie this term as he struggles with a thigh strain.
South Africa international Luke Le Roux is a doubt for Friday's clash at Kras Stadion due to a knock, and it is understood to be touch or go whether the 23-year-old will make the matchday squad.
NEC will be unable to call on the services of first-choice centre-back Mathias Rose, with the former Denmark youth international sustaining an injury in early February.
Bas Dost is out of action after collapsing on the pitch during an away match at AZ Alkmaar in late October, with the striker since being diagnosed with a heart condition and stepping away from football for a period of time.
FC Volendam possible starting lineup:
Backhaus; Buur, Plat, Benamar, Flint, Cox; Mirani, Hoeve, De Haan; Muhren, Booth
NEC possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Van Rooij, Sandler, Verdonk, Baas; Hoedemakers, Proper, Sano, Chery, Gonzalez; Ogawa
We say: FC Volendam 0-2 NEC
Despite a change in the managerial hotseat, Volendam are showing no signs of revival, and it is hard to bet against them suffering defeat once again on Friday.
NEC will be buoyed following their KNVB Cup semi-final success on Tuesday night, and we believe that Nijmegen will be able to successfully navigate the quick turnaround to collect maximum points at Kras Stadion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
