Preview: FC Volendam vs. Groningen - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Volendam remain in danger in the Eredivisie heading into Sunday’s 25th round against out-of-form Groningen at Kras Stadion.

The visitors have lost five consecutive league matches, having gone undefeated in the previous five, but will be looking to halt their slide against one of the division’s in-form sides, who sit just outside the relegation playoff spot.

Match preview

Unbeaten in February, Volendam were seeking to avoid defeat in the Eredivisie for a fourth match running, matching their run at the very start of the campaign; however, Rick Kruys’s men were beaten by a NAC Breda side directly below them in the table.

While the Other Oranje are six points clear of second-bottom Telstar, Het Nieuwe Oranje are two above NAC in the relegation playoff spot, which the North Holland side hope to steer clear of as the season reaches its concluding rounds.

Given the possibility of dropping into that position, the hosts need to match or better the Breda-based team’s result at Telstar to avoid slipping to 16th place.

With NAC’s match taking place on Friday, Kruys and his team could go into their fixture having been leapfrogged by the club chasing them.

Nonetheless, fans at Kras Stadion should be in fine spirits ahead of the weekend, having seen their team accumulate seven points from the last three home matches, including a 2-1 triumph over champions-elect PSV.

Now chasing a fourth successive league match without defeat on their own patch, the Other Oranje may be seven points and six places behind this weekend’s visitors, but Groningen’s losing sequence makes them look vulnerable in North Holland.

Indeed, Dick Lukkien’s team have been beaten in five Eredivisie matches in a row, following a sequence in which they claimed 11 points from a possible 15 in the top flight.

The last of those positive results was a 2-0 win at Heerenveen on January 16, but the Pride of the North have since failed to claim maximum points, suffering four 2-1 defeats against Fortuna Sittard, PSV, FC Utrecht and FC Twente, as well as a 2-0 reverse away at Sparta Rotterdam.

Noteworthy during the ongoing losing run has been the side’s inability to hold on to leads, with four of the above setbacks coming after Lukkien’s men went in front, underlining the team’s soft underbelly.

The recent results place De FC at the bottom of the form table over the past five rounds, a period in which they have scored just four times and conceded 10.

This is in contrast to their North Holland hosts, who sit 10th over the same five-match period, doing their survival prospects no harm ahead of hosting a struggling Groningen side.

While the Pride of the North have won five of the last seven matches against their opponents, the FC’s current dismal form leaves them at risk of only a second defeat in eight in this fixture.

FC Volendam Eredivisie form:

FC Volendam form (all competitions):

Groningen Eredivisie form:

Team News

With Volendam suffering no fresh injury problems in last weekend’s defeat in Breda, the Other Oranje’s absentees remain Anthony Descotte, Gibson Yah and Henk Veerman.

Robin van Cruijsen and Brandley Kuwas have now moved level with Veerman at the top of the team’s scoring charts in the Eredivisie, and both men aim to add to their four top-flight goals on Sunday.

While Yah is missing, Van Cruijsen and Kuwas also carry a creative threat, as evidenced by their three assists, which they will look to improve on when Groningen visit.

The away side’s results have dipped over the past month, but Younes Taha’s end product has become consistent, with the attacking midfielder scoring twice and assisting as many in four of the five losses De FC have suffered.

Now level with Stije Resink on nine goal contributions, Taha could become Groningen’s outright leader for direct involvements if he scores or assists at Kras Stadion.

Although Lukkien’s team are largely healthy, the Pride of the North will navigate Sunday’s fixture without the absent Mats Seuntjens and Tika de Jonge.

FC Volendam possible starting lineup:

Van Oevelen; Ugwu, Amevor, Verschuren, Leliendal; Van Cruijsen, Kwakman, Kokcu; Ould-Chikh, Kuwas, Paywels

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Rente, Blokzijl, Janse, Peersman; Land, Resink; Schreuders, Taha, Van der Werff; Van Bergen

We say: FC Volendam 2-1 Groningen

Volendam’s recent home resilience and impressive victory over PSV suggest they are well placed to exploit the mental fragility of a sliding Groningen outfit.

Given the visitors’ recurring habit of squandering leads, the Other Oranje should have enough to secure a vital three points in their survival bid.

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