Preview: Fortuna Sittard vs Telstar - prediction, team news, lineups

Fortuna Sittard will welcome Telstar to the Fortuna Sittard Stadion for a round 26 Eredivisie fixture on Sunday.

Sittard are currently enjoying the relative safety of mid-table, as they sit 10th in the standings with 32 points, 10 above the relegation zone. At the same time, Telstar, who are second from bottom, will continue their struggle to beat the drop one season after gaining promotion to the top division.

Match preview

After three matches without a win in their first three Eredivisie contests in February (D1, L2), Danny Buijs's team returned to winning ways with back-to-back league victories for the first time since September.

The hosts claimed a 2-1 win against Excelsior in round 24, before edging NEC Nijmegen in the previous round courtesy of a closely fought 3-2 victory.

Fortunezen will come into this encounter in fine fettle, looking to build on those impressive results, as they look to close in on one of the European places.

Currently occupying the 10th spot in the table, a victory on Sunday could propel them into the top eight, if the results of teams around them go their way, and there is also the small matter of achieving a maiden three-game winning streak in the current campaign.

However, their major shortcoming this term is their leaky defence, which has seen them breached 45 times after 25 matches; only PEC Zwolle (50) and Heracles Almelo (65) have a worse defensive record.

That said, they have a healthy record against Sunday’s opponents, as they remain undefeated across five meetings, which span five games across the second division and the Eredivisie.

Elsewhere, Telstar will be looking to make it successive wins in the league for the first time in the current campaign.

The visiting side are currently mired in relegation trouble, sitting 17th in the standings with 21 points and five adrift of safety as they go into the encounter this weekend.

However, with only four victories after 25 league games in the current term, the away side have their work cut out, against a team that are aiming to move higher up in the standings in their quest to make the cut for European football next season.

Their record of two wins, four draws and six losses on the road has been a big impediment for the visiting side, and the away hoodoo could also play out this weekend, if they do not step up to the occasion.

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

Telstar Eredivisie form:

Telstar All competitions form:

Team News

Fortuna Sittard have a few injury issues to deal with, as they look ahead to the encounter against Telstar on Sunday.

Ramazan Bayram is stricken with a knee injury, and he should not be considered for the home side in this weekend’s fixture.

In addition, Mattijs Branderhorst is one of the players who are expected to miss out on this encounter as a result of injury, just like Justin Lonwijk and Daley Sinkgraven.

For the away side, Adil Lechkar is ruled out with a muscle injury, and he will not be named in the travelling party for the encounter.

Alders Gerald is another player who has been in and out of the squad for some time, and his participation in this match is shrouded in doubt.

Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp is the top marksman for his side, and he should be handed a starter’s shirt for this weekend’s fixture.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Koopmans; Hubner, Kasanwirjo, Marquz Alvarez, Pinto; Michut; Brittijn, Duijvestijn, Ihattaren, Limnios; Sierhuis

Telstar possible starting lineup:

Koeman; Ogidi Nwankwo, Offrhaus, Bakker; Noslin, Hatenboer, Rossen, Hardeveld; Van de Kamp, Van Duijn; Thorisson

We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-1 Telstar

Sittard may be basking in the euphoria of two consecutive triumphs in the league, but the visiting side will be keen to get a result, and given the precarious situation, they will be expected to fight tooth and nail to get a positive result. Thus, we reckon this match will end in a 1-1 draw.

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