Preview: Fortuna Sittard vs. AZ Alkmaar - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides with unbeaten starts to the Eredivisie season will face off at Fortuna Sittard Stadion on Saturday, when Fortuna Sittard host table-topping AZ Alkmaar in gameweek three.

The free-scoring hosts have hitherto held defending champions PSV Eindhoven to a draw and beaten promoted Cambuur, and now seek another scalp over AZ, having defeated the Alkmaar giants 4-3 in last season’s corresponding fixture.

Match preview

Fortuna were winless against AZ in 23 years until Danny Buijs snapped FSC’s 14-match sequence without victory in October 2024.

While the very next fixture in Alkmaar ended in defeat, the Dutchman then guided his side to another narrow victory over the Cheese Farmers, only that this one was significantly more entertaining: a wildly exciting 4-3 success over AZ in December 2025.

Those two wins have given Fortunezen their only triumphs in a fixture that has seldom produced draws — the last 11 meetings have had a winner — and the home team head into Saturday’s fixture looking to claim their third consecutive success over this weekend’s visitors in front of their fans.

Indeed, FSC have reason to be optimistic, given their start to the season, which has witnessed their battling qualities and attacking proficiency against PSV and Cambuur respectively.

After making the most of little against the defending champions in the opening gameweek, they overcame promoted Cambuur in an end-to-end match, aided by some outstanding goalkeeping by Mattijs Branderhorst, who made no fewer than six saves in the 3-1 win.

It will be interesting to see which version of Fortuna emerges this weekend, as AZ make the trip to Sittard, where they have lost on consecutive visits.

Matchday three’s encounter makes for compelling viewing, given that the Cheese Farmers are unbeaten across all competitions since April, when they lost 3-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Conference League quarter-final first leg.

Since that defeat, De Kaasboeren have navigated 15 matches without losing, winning eight during that period, five of which have come in consecutive games heading into this weekend.

AZ defeated promoted ADO Den Haag on matchday one, before following that up with a 4-1 victory against FC Utrecht last time out, leaving Leeroy Echteld’s side top of the embryonic Eredivisie table after two rounds.

Now, the Cheese Farmers look to maintain their position — and possibly improve it if the so-far unblemished Groningen drop points — by ending their losing run in Sittard.

Those prospects are enhanced due to their ongoing defensive stinginess, with three clean sheets secured in their last four and Utrecht only scoring after AZ had gone 3-0 up, giving the travelling fans some encouragement ahead of Saturday’s encounter.

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):

Team News

Sven Simons’s hamstring trouble is anticipated to keep the midfielder out of Saturday’s game, while Ivan Marquez and Kristoffer Peterson’s injuries will be assessed.

The hosts have so far spread the goals around this term, with Shiloh ’t Zand, Ole Romeny, Edouard Michut, Lequincio Zeefuik and Philip Brittijn all finding the back of the net.

AZ have also had six different goalscorers: Ro-Zangelo Daal, Peer Koopmeiners, Weslley Patati, Ayoub Oufkir, Mexx Meerdink and Calvin Stengs have all netted.

Notably, though, Kees Smit and Mateo Chavez have assisted two each after as many matches, and both aim to supply more goals on Saturday.

Echteld’s team also have significantly more injury trouble: Jordy Clasie, Jizz Hornkamp (ankle), Troy Parrott, Denso Kasius (groin) and Stije Resink (knee) are all missing.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Branderhorst; Pinto, Van Ottele, Hubner; Wylin, Brittijn, Oukili, Dahlhaus; Ihattaren, Romeny; Zeefuik

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Dijkstra, Goes, Schouten, Chavez; Kwakman, Koopmeiners; Patati, Smit, Daal; Meerdink

We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-2 AZ Alkmaar

Although Fortuna have proved a tricky assignment at home and remain full of confidence after taking four points from two games, AZ Alkmaar’s rampant 15-match unbeaten sequence underlines their ruthless form.

With Smit pulling the strings in midfield and the Cheese Farmers firing on all cylinders, Leeroy Echteld’s side should just about have the quality to end their recent Sittard hoodoo.

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