Looking to preserve their seat at the top table of Dutch football, SBV Excelsior will welcome ADO Den Haag to Van Donge & De Roo Stadion for the second leg of their Eredivisie promotion playoff semi-final on Saturday night.
The Kralingers possess a narrow one-goal lead following the first leg earlier in the week, with the visitors this weekend having serious work to do in order to keep their promotion dreams alive.
Match preview
Finishing 15th in the Eredivisie standings during the 2022-23 season, SBV Excelsior missed out on the horrors of the relegation playoff by four points, but the Kralingers were unable to avoid that fate this time around, with a battle on now to extend their stay in the first division to three campaigns.
Showcasing the attacking prowess of an Eredivisie outfit, Excelsior raced into a two-goal lead after just 23 minutes in the first leg earlier this week, with Couhaib Driouech and Lance Duijvestijn making the net ripple, but Ado Den Haag managed to reduce the arrears courtesy of Henk Veerman.
The Kralingers know that avoiding defeat on Saturday night will be enough to see them through to the playoff finals versus either Emmen or NAC Breda later this month, and Saturday's hosts have a fairly good record at their base, losing just six of their 17 Eredivisie home matches so far.
Stepping up as a man for the big moment earlier this season during a local derby versus Sparta Rotterdam, Tottenham Hotspur loanee Troy Parrott leads his side's Golden Boot race with 10 strikes in 25 league appearances, with the 22-year-old enjoying the most productive campaign of his blossoming career to date.
Having taken Excelsior from the Eerste Divisie to the Eredivisie in 2022, manager Marinus Dijkhuizen could cement his status at the club by ensuring that they avoid relegation in the playoffs.
ADO Den Haag suffered only their second loss in seven matches on Wednesday night when Excelsior came to town and escaped with a first-leg victory, but there were positives in the fact that Den Haag's key stars were able to cause the Kralingers serious issues.
Leading the Eerste Divisie scoring charts quite comfortably this season, 33-year-old Veerman found the net once again in the first leg to take his tally up to 25 across all competitions, with the veteran fancying one final return to the Eredivisie.
Saturday's visitors also have a chief playmaker in their ranks in the form of Daryl van Mieghem, who has set up a league-leading total of 15 goals this season for teammates, whilst also chipping in with eight of his own.
Den Haag certainly need to tighten their backline if they are to secure an unlikely place in the playoff final, with Darije Kalezic's troops conceding an eye-watering total of 11 goals in their last five contests.
Team News
Excelsior have a number of injury concerns heading into the second leg, with Kik Pierie set to miss out once again because of a foot injury.
The Kralingers will also be without the services of Lennard Hartjes, who suffered a knee injury in August and has not been able to feature since.
Serano Seymor was a second-choice option at centre-back before picking up a foot issue, meaning that the 22-year-old has only made nine Eredivisie appearances this season.
After providing a quality assist for Veerman's goal in the first leg, left-back Joel Ideho is set to keep his spot on the flanks for ADO Den Haag.
A two-man forward line of Van Mieghem and Veerman will look to spring a surprise on the Excelsior defence, whilst Jort van der Sande will create chances from the tip of the midfield.
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:
Van Gassel; Benita, Horemans, El Yaakoubi, Zagre; Goudmijn, Baas; Lamprou, Duijvestijn, Driouech; Parrott
ADO Den Haag possible starting lineup:
Marsman; Siereveld, Surmeli, Waem; Asante, Christensen, Vlak, Ideho, Van der Sande; Van Mieghem, Veerman
We say: SBV Excelsior 2-1 ADO Den Haag
SBV Excelsior are the target to shoot down during these Eredivisie playoffs, but the Kralingers have showing no signs of shrinking under the pressure.
ADO Den Haag have an almighty task on their hands after failing to take advantage of home advantage in the first leg, and we feel that their charge for the Eredivisie will end in Rotterdam this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
