Separated by just two points and one place in the Eredivisie standings, RKC Waalwijk and Heracles go head to head at the Mandemakers Stadion on Wednesday.

The Katholieke will set out to return to winning ways having dropped points last time out, while the visitors will be eyeing a league double after picking up a 1-0 victory when the sides met back in September's reverse fixture.

Match preview

Waalwijk were denied a second consecutive league victory for the first time since January when they were held to a 1-1 draw by a dogged Cambuur side last Friday.

Following a drab first half at the Cambuur Stadion, Doke Schmidt scored an own goal to put the visitors ahead before 19-year-old Milan Smit snatched a 95th-minute equaliser to force a share of the spoils.

Prior to that, Joseph Oosting's men ended their three-game winless run with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Groningen on May 1 courtesy of a brace from Finn Stokkers and Richard van der Venne's 38th-minute strike.

Waalwijk have won seven, drawn 11 and lost 14 of their 32 games this season to collect 32 points and sit 14th in the Eredivisie standings, two points and one place off Wednesday's visitors.

Heracles, on the other hand, failed to make it three wins from three on the road last time out when they suffered a 2-0 defeat away to 17th-placed Willem II.

In a one-sided affair at the Koning Willem II Stadion, Wessel Dammers and Jizz Hornkamp scored inside the opening 17 minutes to hand the hosts just their eighth win of the season.

Frank Wormuth's side head into Wednesday on a run of just two wins from their last nine outings across all competitions, picking up two draws and losing five games in that time.

Having finished ninth in the table last season, the Heraclieden's underperformance this term has been owing to their struggles on the road, where they hold the division's second-poorest record with eight points from 16 games.

However, Heracles will fancy their chances of returning to winning ways as they face an opposing side who they are unbeaten against in 15 of the last eighteen meetings between the teams, picking up 12 wins and three draws in that time.

Team News

Waalwijk will be without the services of 21-year-old defender Shawn Adewoye, who will serve a one-match suspension after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Cambuur last time out.

On the injury front, Oosting will be unable to call upon Dutch forward David Min, who picked up a muscle problem in March's friendly clash with Feyenoord.

He is joined on the Katholieke's injury table by Sebbe Augustijns, who has been out of action since December's 5-0 victory over Harkemase Boys in the KNVB Beker.

After picking up a straight red in the game against Willem II last time out, German defender Sven Sonnenberg joins Anas Ouahim on Heracles' suspended list.

The Heraclieden will also be without the German duo of Orestis Kiomourtzoglou and Janis Blaswich, who are recuperating from ankle and muscle injuries respectively.

Belgian midfielder Ismail Azzaoui, who has three goals and two assists to his name this season, will also miss out as he continues his long road to full fitness after picking up a knee injury back in December.

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Meulensteen, Lutonda, Touba; Büttner, Bakari, van der Venne, Oukili; Anita, Stokkers, Kramer

Heracles possible starting lineup:
Bucker; Fadiga, Rente, Hoogma, Quagliata; Laursen, Toure, Schoofs, Hansson; Bakis, Sierra

We say: RKC Waalwijk 1-0 Heracles

Waalwijk and Heracles have endured underwhelming campaigns this season and find themselves separated by just two points in the bottom half of the table. The Heraclieden have struggled for results on the road and we predict the hosts will make use of their home advantage and claim a slender win in this one.

Written by
Joshua Ojele

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