With their top-flight status currently hanging in the balance, SBV Excelsior welcome Fortuna Sittard to Van Donge & De Roo Stadion on Sunday in round 33 of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season.
Meanwhile, the away side travel to Rotterdam this weekend aiming to make a late push for a place in the top half as the campaigns nears its conclusion.
Match preview
Excelsior had to make do with a share of the spoils in Saturday's meeting against Heerenveen, which ended in a goalless draw at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.
Despite carving out more clear-cut chances, Marinus Dijkhuizen's men failed to make the most of their opportunities and are now without a goal in nine straight away outings.
Consequently, the Kralingers have moved up to 15th place in the Eredivisie table, one point above the relegation zone heading into the final two matches.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit who have suffered only one defeat in the last six editions of this fixture across all competitions since 2013.
With 23 of their 29 points so far coming on home turf, Sunday's hosts know that anything less than three points in their final home game of the season could see them make an immediate return to the second tier of Dutch football.
Fortuna Sittard fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against PSV Eindhoven when the teams went head-to-head at the Philips Stadion on Sunday evening.
Julio Velazquez's men took a shock lead in the fourth minute through Paul Gladon after which goals in either half from Luuk de Jong and Xavi Simons turned the game on its head.
Picking up 35 points from 32 matches so far, the Fortunezen sit 12th in the standings, well clear of relegation danger but six points adrift of the top half.
Off the back of four consecutive defeats away from home by a combined score of 10-2, Sunday's visitors will be keen to give their travelling supporters reason to cheer this time around.
Team News
Excelsior's Vicente Besuijen remains unavailable due to a muscle injury, while Nathan Markelo is yet to make his return to action from a knock he picked up on international duty with Curacao.
The home side will also be without the services of midfielder Adrian Fein, who misses out for the 14th consecutive game dating back to late January.
Twenty-four-year-old Jacky Donkor still awaits his first outing since the turn of the year as he continues to battle with a long-term knee injury.
Thomas Buitink sat out Fortuna's defeat to PSV last time out through a knee problem which is set to keep him out of this weekend's game as well.
Rodrigo Guth put on a man-of-the-match performance in this season's reverse fixture, and he will be looking to deliver the goods for the away side.
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:
Van Gassel; Zagre, Pierie, Nieuwpoort, Horemans; El Yaakoubi, Baas, Koopmeiners; Driouech, Azarkan, Goudmijn
Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:
Pandur; Cox, Siovas, Guth, Pinto; Duarte, Erdogan; Embalo, Cordoba, Noslin; Gladon
We say: SBV Excelsior 1-0 Fortuna Sittard
Excelsior have been defensively solid of late, and we can see them coming away from this weekend's affair with another clean sheet. That said, we can also see the hosts edging out the away side here, all but confirming their place in the Eredivisie next season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
