Preview: De Treffers vs NEC - prediction, team news, lineups

The KNVB Beker round of 16 tie between De Treffers and NEC Nijmegen was rescheduled for Tuesday after persistent snowfall at Sportpark Zuid in Groesbeek forced the cancellation of the original fixture on January 13, with club and municipal officials ruling out mechanical snow removal to avoid significant turf damage and instead allowing the snow to melt naturally ahead of the new date.

The third-division side will be aiming to pull off a shock result against their Eredivisie opponents, while the Bloodpit look to cap off an impressive season by adding a piece of silverware to their achievements.

Match preview

De Treffers, one of Dutch football’s traditional amateur sides competing in the Tweede Divisie, have enjoyed an impressive cup run this season, advancing to the round of 16 following a 1–0 victory over Sportlust ’46 in the previous round.

Under manager Theo Janssen, a former professional with strong Vitesse ties, the Groesbeek club has developed a team capable of disciplined defensive organisation and opportunistic attacking play.

The Red-blacks’ home ground, Sportpark Zuid, has been a fortress in recent weeks, though heavy snowfall necessitated the postponement of this cup tie, with clearing the pitch mechanically considered too risky for the grass, a decision supported by both clubs and the local municipality.

In league action, Janssen’s team have produced multiple victories against Excelsior Maassluis, Jong Sparta, SV Spakenburg, and Koninklijke HFC, with only one defeat coming against Hoek in December, highlighting their consistent form in the Tweede Divisie.

Beyond results, this cup tie represents local pride and the opportunity to advance deep into the national competition, with De Treffers still in contention for the “Blauwe Dennenappel,” an honour awarded to the most successful amateur club in the KNVB Beker should they progress further than all other amateur sides.

Historically, De Treffers have struggled against NEC, having never won in seven previous encounters dating back to 1993, with the Nijmegen side winning all matches, scoring six and conceding 25 goals, a record that adds an extra layer of challenge to this Gelderland derby.

© Imago

NEC enter this round as an Eredivisie club and one of the favourites to progress deep into the KNVB Beker, having drawn an away tie against De Treffers after a 3–1 win over AFC in the eighth round.

Earlier in the competition, NEC overcame Rijnsburgse Boys in the first round in October, taking a commanding lead in the first half with two goals from Noe Lebreton and one from Sami Ouaissa, before holding on in a tense final period at Sportpark Middelmors to secure a 3–2 victory and progress to the next round.

Despite early January cancellations due to snowfall, NEC have remained active and unbeaten in competitive matches, with squad depth and quality enabling them to maintain form, and manager Dick Schreuder has expressed cautious optimism ahead of this tie, noting that the conditions in Groesbeek would be a key factor while emphasising confidence that the match would proceed safely.

The Eniesee currently sit fourth in the Eredivisie following a win at NAC Breda, with recent performances including draws against Ajax and Telstar as well as victories over AFC, Volendam, and Sparta Rotterdam, reflecting a strong run of results heading into the cup fixture.

The fixture also carries local significance, with NEC and De Treffers sharing a regional rivalry as clubs from the eastern Netherlands, framing the match as a Gelderland derby and adding an extra layer of intrigue for supporters in both communities.

De Treffers KNVB Beker form:

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De Treffers form (all competitions):

NEC KNVB Beker form:

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NEC form (all competitions):

Team News

© Iconsport / ProShots

De Treffers go into this cup fixture with a clean bill of health, and their squad has been further strengthened by the recent arrivals of Jorn Hekkert from Staphorst and Kane Keizer from MASV.

The team’s attacking system is spearheaded by Steven van der Heijden, the season’s top scorer with five goals, who is ably supported by Sebastiaan van Bakel, the campaign’s leading provider with eight assists.

Schreuder’s NEC side travel with an almost full squad, but Bram Nuytinck still on the mend as the away trip to Breda comes slightly too soon for his return.

Bryan Linssen, who served a suspension for accumulating five yellow cards against Ajax and missed the victory over NAC with Lebreton replacing him, is expected to be back in contention.

The Nijmegen side were forced to cancel matches against FC Utrecht and De Treffers and went on a training camp in Spain, which allowed for the return of Nuytinck and Youssef El Kachati, the latter having struggled with long-term injuries and now available to potentially play his first minutes since the cup match against Rijnsburgse Boys.

Midfielder Darko Nejasmic was substituted after just 30 minutes against NAC due to injury and could miss this cup tie, while Freek Entius and Thomas Ouwejan remain sidelined and are consequently ruled out.

De Treffers possible starting lineup:

Stoskovic; Zeller, Van Ginkel, Langeveld; Van Strien, Hazzat, Van der Heijden, Brussaard; Van Bakel, Vlijter, Den Dekker

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Sandler, Kaplan; Proper, Sano, Ouaissa, Onal; Chery, Linssen, Ogawa

We say: De Treffers 1-3 NEC

Tuesday’s KNVB Beker clash promises an intriguing cup encounter, with De Treffers buoyed by recent positives and home support, while NEC arrive with the experience and consistency of a higher-division side.

NEC’s attacking prowess makes them a formidable opponent, as their ability to score regularly, even on the road, could prove decisive in this knockout tie, though their occasional defensive lapses may provide De Treffers with opportunities to counterattack, making for a potentially tense and competitive match.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.