The 2022-23 Eredivisie campaign comes to an end this Sunday as FC Volendam host SBV Excelsior at Kras Stadion.
Despite a 3-0 defeat at Go Ahead Eagles last weekend, Het Nieuwe Oranje are assured of competing in the top flight next season, currently a point above the Rotterdam-based side in 14th, with the latter officially staving off relegation thanks to a 3-0 triumph over Fortuna Sittard.
Match preview
They waited 13 years to return to the Eredivisie, and Volendam will live to see one more, thanks mainly to their form at home, where this team have won eight of their nine league fixtures this season.
Having a chance to compete in the Dutch top flight on two successive occasions will feel like a minor miracle for a team nicknamed Heen-en-Weer, translated as the back-and-forth club, referencing their constant promotions and immediate relegations, having not played in the Eredivisie in consecutive seasons since the late 90s (1996-97 and 1997-98).
The man-orientated approach employed by manager Wim Jonk has come with mixed results, losing three consecutive road fixtures in this competition by a total margin of 9-2, but they have captured back-back home games, scoring multiple goals each time.
Throughout the past month and a half, this team have constantly had to battle their way back into a game, scoring the opening goal in only one of their previous seven domestic affairs, while coming from behind to win just three league fixtures when trailing 1-0 all season.
Sunday will be the first time since the 1984-85 campaign that Volendam host Excelsior in the Dutch top flight, and they will be seeking a first home triumph against them in the Eredivisie since August 1971 (1-0).
Domestically, the overall shape of Volendam when out of possession has been their biggest weakness, as they are tied with SC Cambuur for the second-most goals conceded (69), while also being one of only six clubs with fewer than 40 strikes in this competition (39).
Excelsior supporters can rest easy knowing they will compete in the Eredivisie next season, after ending a three-match winless run a week ago.
While their defensive shape has not been stellar in their return to the Dutch top flight, conceding one goal fewer than Volendam in the domestic campaign so far, Marinus Dijkhuizen's men have done the job when needed, giving up just one strike in their previous three domestic affairs.
It is a good thing their backline has been so difficult to penetrate in recent outings, because Excelsior have not produced much quality in the attacking third all season, netting the second-fewest goals in the Eredivisie (30), and going without a strike in 10 away matches domestically, including their last eight.
Two of their clean sheets have come away from home, where this team have only triumphed once domestically all season, defeating Cambuur 2-0 in their opening league fixture.
They have only beaten two Eredivisie sides this season who are currently in the top half of the table (AZ Alkmaar 2-1 and Go Ahead Eagles 2-1), but their survival can be attributed to that solid form against weaker top-flight opponents, capturing four of their six matches versus the bottom three teams.
Since the beginning of 2023, the Kralingers Roodzwarten have lost every encounter in which they have conceded first and have won every game when drawing first blood, with their only draws over that stretch all being 0-0.
Team News
Florent Da Silva missed the previous encounter for Volendam for personal reasons and will not feature in this one, while Jonk made three changes to his starting 11 against Go Ahead Eagles with Josh Flint, Achraf Douiri and Henk Veerman coming in for Walid Ould-Chikh, Benaissa Benamar and Daryl van Mieghem.
Carel Eiting is stuck on 11 assists domestically this season, tied with Vito van Crooij of Sparta Rotterdam for third in the league, Xavier Mbuyamba had a brace in their previous home fixture, including the winner in the 91st minute versus Sparta Rotterdam (2-1), while two of the three clean sheets collected by Filip Stankovic have come at home.
Robert Muhren has four career goals for this team versus the Kralingers Roodzwarten, as he and former midfielder Boy Deul each netted in their 5-2 defeat against them in the Erste Divisie last season.
Jacky Donkor is a doubt for Excelsior this weekend because of a knee injury, as is Adrian Fein, who has an illness, while Nathangelo Markelo remains sidelined with an unknown problem.
Kik Pierie notched his first of the campaign, which stood up as the winner versus Fortuna, with insurance goals coming courtesy of Couhaib Driouech and Kenzo Goudmijn, while Stijn van Gassel stopped all three shots that he faced for the clean sheet.
Van Gassel has seven shutouts this season, one of which occurred the last time they battled Volendam when an own-goal from Damon Mirani was enough to earn them three points, while Marouan Azarkan also found the back of the net in a 2-0 win.
FC Volendam possible starting lineup:
Lauwers; Flint, Mirani, Mbuyamba; Douiri, Eiting, Twigt, Ould-Chikh; Van Mieghem, Muhren, Oristanio
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:
Alblas: El Yaakoubi, Horemans, Pierie, Zagre; Baas, Koopmeiners, Tjoe-A-On; Agrafiotis, Kharchouch, Driouech
We say: FC Volendam 2-0 SBV Excelsior
Volendam are at their best when playing on home soil, while their opponents have conceded three or more goals away from home on eight occasions over this campaign. All of that to say, we believe Volendam are due to end their lengthy winless drought against Excelsior in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
