Preview: Go Ahead Eagles vs Heracles - prediction, team news, lineups

With time running out in their battle against relegation, Heracles travel to De Adelaarshorst on Sunday afternoon to take on fellow strugglers Go Ahead Eagles.

This weekend’s encounter marks the third meeting between the sides this season, with the previous two clashes in league and cup resulting in one victory each.

Match preview

Still searching for their first league win of 2026, Go Ahead Eagles suffered late heartbreak in a 1-0 defeat to Feyenoord on Sunday, with Casper Tengstedt converting a 92nd-minute penalty to settle the contest.

Since their 2-1 victory over Feyenoord when the sides first met this season in early November, Melvin Boel’s men have failed to win any of their subsequent 11 Eredivisie fixtures. Both of their two wins across all competitions during that period have come in the KNVB Beker, including a penalty-shootout triumph over Heracles on January 14.

Prior to that, Go Ahead Eagles had been beaten in back-to-back league matchups against this weekend’s opponents, including a 4-2 loss in November's reverse fixture, having squandered a 2-1 half-time lead.

The pride of the IJssel Kowet can count themselves lucky to still be four points above the drop zone despite their ongoing wretched league run, during which they have picked up just seven points from a possible 33.

However, with 11 games remaining—seven against teams currently in the top 10—results must improve swiftly, or a return to the second tier could be on the cards.

Like Go Ahead Eagles, Heracles also have a tough schedule to close out the campaign and games against teams in and around them could prove highly consequential in their quest for survival.

A 1-0 defeat to a struggling NAC Breda side last time out saw Ernest Faber’s men slip to the bottom of the table, six points from safety ahead of this weekend’s trip to Deventer.

It is rare for the division’s most porous defence in any season to beat the drop, and Heracles’ tally of 58 goals conceded—at least nine more than any other side—highlights their biggest Achilles' heel this term.

HAFC have finished in the bottom five in each of their last three top-flight campaigns, so they are no strangers to a relegation scrap. However, their current predicament is looking increasingly dire.

Having lost 10 of their 12 league matches on the road, Sunday's visitors will need to address their away woes to stand any chance of staying afloat and pulling off a great escape.

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

Go Ahead Eagles form (all competitions):

Heracles Eredivisie form:

Heracles form (all competitions):

Team News

Robbin Weijenberg and Pim Saathof remain sidelined for Go Ahead Eagles with knee injuries, while Gerrit Nauber is out with a leg problem.

Dean Ruben James is nearing a return for the hosts, but Thibo Baeten will miss out this weekend following his red card against Feyenoord.

Mathis Suray left the closing stages of the aforementioned game with an injury scare and will need to pass a late fitness test to determine his availability for Sunday's game.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide (knee) has endured an injury-hit debut campaign with Heracles, as he continues to nurse a long-term knee problem.

Mario Engels, Fabian de Keijzer and Sem Scheperman (muscle) are also out for the visitors, who are further hampered by illness to Alec van Hoorenbeeck, Yvandro Borges Sanches, Bryan Limbombe, and Jannes Wieckhoff.

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Sampsted, Van Zwam, Kramer, Adelgaard; Meulensteen, Linthorst; Slory, Breum, Margaret; Edvardsen

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Mesik, Cestic, Te Wierik; Van der Kust, Mirani, Hrustic, Benita; Unuvar, Ould Chikh; Zeefuik