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

SBV Excelsior will be hoping to climb out of the Eredivisie relegation zone on Sunday afternoon when they welcome Fortuna Sittard to the Van Donge and De Roo Stadion.

The hosts have registered just two wins since returning to the top flight, leaving them 17th in the standings, while Fortuna have collected four victories and one draw from their opening eight matches to sit firmly in mid-table heading into the weekend.

Match preview

It has been a difficult start for SBV Excelsior following their automatic promotion from the Eerste Divisie last season, when they finished second.

The Rotterdam outfit have struggled to establish defensive solidity, conceding 17 goals in their opening eight matches.

Eleven of those arrived across their first three fixtures, during which they failed to collect a single point and suffered heavy defeats against NEC Nijmegen and FC Utrecht.

Since that 4-1 setback at Utrecht, the Kralingers have gradually begun to find their feet in the top flight, recording two victories and three narrow defeats, including a 2-1 loss against reigning Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven.

Ruben den Uil’s side picked up their first win of the campaign in dramatic fashion when they edged FC Twente 1-0 despite playing for more than 70 minutes with 10 men following Stan Henderikx’s first-half sending-off.

After falling to Sparta Rotterdam in the Rotterdam derby a week later, the Roodzwarten returned to winning ways by overcoming FC Volendam 2-1.

However, they have since fallen to successive defeats, the latest being a 2-1 loss away to SC Heerenveen — a result that leaves them in 17th place, but just one point adrift of safety.

Fortuna Sittard, who are in their seventh consecutive Eredivisie campaign, are three points better off than at the same stage last season and head into the weekend on the back of a 1-0 victory over FC Volendam.

Nevertheless, Danny Buijs will be concerned by his side’s away form, with the Fortunezen managing just one win from their last four matches on the road.

That sole triumph came at Telstar in mid-September, but the visitors have fallen to NAC Breda, FC Twente and Feyenoord on rival territory, conceding at least two goals on each occasion.

Even so, Buijs can take confidence from Fortuna’s strong recent record against Excelsior, having claimed a dominant 5-2 win in March before earning a 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting at the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion.

SBV Excelsior Eredivisie form:

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Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

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Team News

Both Stefan Mitrovic and Irakli Yegoian have returned from international duty without any injury concerns, leaving Den Uil with close to a full squad to choose from. Only Lennard Hartjes and Lewis Schouten remain sidelined.

Yegoian, who registered two assists in Georgia Under-21s' 5-0 victory over Malta, is expected to retain his place in central midfield alongside Noah Naujoks and Adam Carlen.

Mitrovic could also push for a starting spot after producing an impressive display for Serbia against Andorra.

Buijs, meanwhile, continues to contend with the same injury list as before the international break, with Syb van Ottele and Samuel Bastien still nursing issues, but the duo are training again.

During the two-week pause, Fortuna’s squad took the opportunity to unwind by attending the local Oktoberfest festival.

Justin Lonwijk and Justin Hubner were absent due to international commitments, with Lonwijk featuring for Suriname in their 1-1 draws against Guatemala and Panama, while Hubner made the bench for Indonesia’s 3-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Centre-back Shawn Adewoye came off injured in the 14th minute of Fortuna's clash with Volendam, but he is back in team training so should be available.

SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:

Van Gassel; Bronkhorst, Widell, Meissen, Zagre; Naujoks, Carlen; Mitrovic, Yegoian, De Regt; Wlodarczyk

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Branderhorst; Dahlhaus, Marquez, Adewoye, Pinto; Fosso, Lonwijk, Brittijn, Limnios, Peterson; Sierhuis

We say: SBV Excelsior 1-3 Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna have made a positive start to the campaign, but their inconsistent away form remains a concern for Buijs. Even so, the visitors possess the attacking quality to trouble Den Uil’s side and should be able to capitalise if they take their chances.

Excelsior have shown glimpses of promise going forward, yet their defensive frailties continue to undermine progress, and that vulnerability may once again prove costly against a confident Fortuna outfit.

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