Preview: Fortuna Sittard vs SBV Excelsior - prediction, team news, lineups

Neck and neck in the Eredivisie table, Fortuna Sittard host SBV Excelsior at Fortuna Sittard Stadion in Friday’s gameweek 24 contest.

The hosts, who were beaten 4-1 at Ajax last time out, are winless in three league matches while their Rotterdam visitors head into this weekend having lost their first top-flight fixture in six with gameweek 23’s 2-1 defeat at AZ Alkmaar.

Match preview

When Fortuna defeated Groningen 2-1 to close out January, Danny Buijs’s team looked in good shape, having secured seven points from a possible 12.

However, the Sittard-Geleen outfit have since failed to claim a win, losing to Heracles and Ajax, the latter of which saw FSC concede four in Amsterdam.

Although victories for the hosts have been few and far between, the defeat at the hands of the Dutch giants marked the Fortunezen’s heaviest setback since a 5-2 loss at PSV Eindhoven in October, highlighting their tendency to keep matches close even in defeat.

Nevertheless, defensive frailties typically undermine their chances of victory, with the concession of three goals inside the opening half-hour in Amsterdam a good example of FSC’s struggles to keep clean sheets.

Not since a 2-0 win over Heerenveen have Fortuna kept a shutout in the league, an unwanted run that stands at 11 without a clean sheet before this weekend’s visit of Excelsior.

Aiming to extend the home team’s 11-match sequence without a top-flight clean sheet — 12 in all competitions — Ruben den Uil’s Excelsior head to Sittard-Geleen on Friday aware of their own struggles in this fixture.

Winless away from home in this clash since February 2004, the Rotterdam side have managed just three draws in eight trips, with three of their five defeats coming in the top flight.

Indeed, three of their most recent visits to Fortuna have ended in 4-1, 1-0 and 5-2 losses, underlining the uphill challenge facing the Kralingers as they hope to avoid a fourth consecutive reverse in Sittard-Geleen.

They should, however, be encouraged by a three-match unbeaten run on their travels, the latest of which was a 2-0 success against NAC Breda after draws at AZ (1-1) and FC Twente (0-0).

Having been beaten in four of their first five away matches after regaining promotion, Excelsior have lost only once in the following six — a 5-1 reverse at PSV — and the Kralingers’ improvement ought to give the travelling supporters hope of avoiding another disappointment in Sittard.

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

SBV Excelsior Eredivisie form:

Team News

Although Fortuna ostensibly avoided any fresh injury issues in their loss to Ajax, Mattijs Branderhorst, Daley Sinkgraven (knee), Justin Lonwijk, Jasper Dahlhaus, Luka Tunjic and Ramazan Bayram (knee) are possible absentees this weekend.

Kaj Sierhuis has scored four goals at home and as many away, and the forward will back himself to add to his commendable tally.

Having netted in three of the past four league games at Fortuna Sittard Stadion — finding the net against Ajax, AZ and PSV — the eight-goal forward now looks to make it four successful home games in five.

Excelsior will look to Noah Naujoks for his match-winning expertise, with two of the attacking midfielder’s six strikes proving decisive.

However, only two of his goals have come away from home, both in November’s 2-1 victory at Ajax, and he is aiming to end a four-match spell without scoring on the road.

While Hamdi Akujobi (knee) remains a long-term absentee and Ilias Bronkhorst is unavailable after an accumulation of cards, the visitors will assess Lewis Schouten after his late withdrawal last time out; however, the issue that forced him off was believed to be precautionary.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Koopmans; Pinto, Marquez, Kasanwirjo, Hubner; Michut, Brittijn; Limnios, Duijvestijn, Peterson; Sierhuis

SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:

Van Gassel; Janssen, Widell, Meissen, Zagre; Schouten, Hartjes; Fernandes, Yegoian, De Regt; Naujoks

We say: Fortuna Sittard 2-2 SBV Excelsior

While Fortuna’s historical dominance in this fixture is hard to ignore, especially given Excelsior’s 22-year wait for a victory at this ground, the hosts have claimed just one league win on their turf in five.

We expect both teams to share the points in an entertaining Friday night affair that highlights their defensive flaws.

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