Preview: FC Twente vs ADO Den Haag - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Twente host ADO Den Haag at De Grolsch Veste in the Eredivisie on Saturday, with both sides arriving in sharply contrasting form.

John van den Brom's side have made a bright start to life back in Eredivisie action after a taxing summer in Europe, while Robin Peter's newly promoted Ooievaars are still searching for the foundations that carried them to the Eerste Divisie title last season.

Match preview

Twente sit fifth in the Eredivisie table with 10 points from five matches, a record built on three wins from their last four league outings.

Their most recent success came in a rearranged midweek fixture against Telstar, won 1-0 courtesy of a close-range finish from Sondre Orjasaeter in the 64th minute after Younes Taha's cross picked him out.

Wout Weghorst had the chance to add a second from the penalty spot in that game but saw his effort saved by Ronald Koeman Jr, a rare blemish on an otherwise controlled home display.

That win extended Twente's excellent home form to two wins from two at De Grolsch Veste this season, with only a single goal conceded across those matches.

The scoring load has been shared around, with Weghorst and Marko Pjaca both on two league goals apiece, while Orjasaeter and Taha have each supplied two assists as Van den Brom's attack has avoided over-reliance on one outlet.

Twente's summer also brought a demanding European detour, losing 4-3 on aggregate to Ferencvaros in Europa League qualifying before dropping into the Conference League and thrashing DAC Dunajska Streda 6-0 in their play-off tie to reach the league phase, where Pafos, Freiburg, Kairat Almaty, Lincoln Red Imps, FC Thun and AGF Aarhus now await.

The club has also strengthened its football hierarchy off the pitch, with former manager Erik ten Hag installed as technical director and Van den Brom's own contract extended through mid-2027, giving the coaching staff a settled backdrop as it juggles four competitions.

ADO Den Haag are 17th in the table with just one point from five matches, one of the four sides in the division yet to register a win.

Their last outing brought a 2-3 home defeat to Fortuna Sittard, in which Mohamed Ihattaren scored twice, either side of a Lequincio Zeefuik header he set up, while Eduardo pulled one back before Jesse Bal's stoppage-time header made for a nervy finish.

That result was typical of a wider pattern this season, with ADO having conceded 14 goals in five matches and having yet to keep a single clean sheet.

Yannick Eduardo, a summer signing from Hoffenheim, leads the line and the scoring charts with two goals, his movement inside the box offering one of the few consistent bright spots.

Evan Rottier has been the side's leading creative outlet, supplying two assists and often serving as the main threat on the counterattack when ADO do have the ball.

German head coach Robin Peter guided the club to the Eerste Divisie title last season, ending a five-year absence from the Eredivisie and earning Peter the division's Manager of the Year award, and this fixture represents the sharp step up in quality that promotion has brought.

ADO have often enjoyed spells of possession without translating it into control of matches, repeatedly finding themselves chasing games after conceding first, which remains the central issue Peter must solve.

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

FC Twente form (all competitions):

ADO Den Haag Eredivisie form:

ADO Den Haag form (all competitions):

Team News

Van den Brom is without midfielder Kristian Hlynsson and defender Stav Lemkin, but the head coach otherwise has a fully settled squad to choose from following the midweek victory over Telstar.

Lars Unnerstall is expected to start behind a back four that has conceded five goals in five league matches, while Taha, Ramiz Zerrouki and Daouda Weidmann are set to form the midfield and Daan Rots and Orjasaeter support Wout Weghorst

Peter is missing forward Cameron Peupion and defender Matej Sin, though he otherwise has a relatively settled group to pick from despite the difficult start to the season.

Kilian Nikiema is expected to start behind Othniel Raterink, Milan Hokke, Pascal Mulder and Sekou Sylla, with Juho Kilo and Mylian Jimenez anchoring the midfield and Rottier operating further forward, while Daryl van Mieghem and Nigel Thomas provide width in support of Eduardo.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Bruns, Nijstad, Adelgaard; Zerrouki, Weidmann, Taha; Rots, Weghorst, Orjasaeter

ADO Den Haag possible starting lineup:

Nikiema; Raterink, Hokke, Mulder, Sylla; Kilo, Jimenez; Van Mieghem, Rottier, Thomas; Eduardo

We say: FC Twente 3-1 ADO Den Haag

History leans heavily in Twente's favour, with the hosts having won 40 of the 75 Eredivisie meetings between the two clubs, and current form only reinforces that trend, while Rottier and Eduardo carry enough pace on the counter to make ADO a threat in transition and to trouble a Twente side that has not always started matches at full intensity, which should bring a goal for the visitors.

Twente's greater control in midfield, sharper home form and considerably stronger defensive numbers should nonetheless be enough to see Van den Brom's side to a third home win of the season.

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