Preview: NEC vs PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

The first semi-final of this season's KNVB Beker sees NEC and PSV Eindhoven go head-to-head at Goffertstadion on Tuesday evening.

Both teams will be eager to secure a place in next month's final, where they will have the chance to claim silverware against either AZ Alkmaar or Telstar.

Match preview

Returning to the KNVB Beker semi-finals for the fourth time in five years, PSV have a chance to atone for last year's shock exit at this stage to eventual winners Go Ahead Eagles.

After a disappointing Champions League campaign that saw them exit at the group stages, Peter Bosz's men are now aiming to build on their Super Cup triumph earlier this season and achieve a domestic treble.

De Rood-witten moved one step closer to Eredivisie glory with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Heracles on Saturday. Now 17 points clear of Feyenoord with only nine games remaining, a third consecutive league title appears to be a foregone conclusion.

Buoyed by emphatic wins over GVVV (3-0), Den Bosch (4-1), and Heerenveen (4-1), PSV are aiming to reach their 20th Dutch Cup final - and their third in six years - after going a decade without one between 2012 and 2022.

Despite losing just one of their last 25 meetings with NEC, Tuesday's visitors will be cautious ahead of the upcoming trip to Nijmegen, where they have conceded three goals in each of their most recent three matches.

NEC's emphatic 4-1 victory over Heracles at the start of February extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions (11W, 2D), but their form since then has been disappointing.

Defeats to FC Utrecht and Fortuna Sittard, coupled with consecutive stalemates against Sparta Rotterdam and Ajax, have left Dick Schreuder's side winless in four games for the first time in nearly a year.

Currently fourth in the league - just one point behind third - NEC are on track to secure European football for next season, but will also want to claim their first major trophy since 2015 while at it.

Unlike PSV, the Eniesee have had to fight hard to reach the KNVB Beker semi-finals, winning each of their four cup matches this term by a single-goal margin, including victories over lower-league opposition in the opening three rounds.

Having conceded the opening goal in eight consecutive matches against their upcoming opponents, Tuesday's hosts will face an uphill battle if they fall behind once again, especially against a side that have lost only once after scoring first since November 2024.

NEC KNVB Beker form:

NEC form (all competitions):

PSV Eindhoven KNVB Beker form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

Nineteen-year-old Freek Entius remains sidelined with a long-term knee problem and is NEC's only guaranteed absentee at the moment.

Tjaronn Chery's opener against Fortuna means he has now been directly involved in five goals in his last six starts for the home side, and the midfielder, who scored against PSV in September's most recent encounter, is one to keep an eye on here.

Ruben van Bommel and Alassane Plea are both out of contention for PSV as they continue to nurse knee injuries, while Nick Olij is unavailable due to a groin problem.

Leading scorer Guus Til also misses out for the away side, who are currently sweating on the fitness of Anass Salah-Eddine.

After yet another assist in the 3-1 win against Heracles, Joey Veerman is now up to 21 goal contributions for the season - eight goals and 13 assists - and will look to deliver the goods once again.

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Kaplan, Fonville; Ouaissa, Nejasmic, Sano, Onal; Chery, Lebreton; Linssen

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Mauro Jr, Gasiorowski, Schouten, Dest; Veerman, Wanner; Perisic, Saibari, Man; Boadu

We say: NEC 1-3 PSV Eindhoven

PSV have not managed a clean sheet away at NEC since 2021, and recent evidence suggests that is unlikely to change, with the visitors conceding in each of their last five outings leading up to Tuesday.

Nonetheless, we are backing them to stroll into the KNVB Beker final with a dominant display come the full-time whistle in Nijmegen.

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