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

Looking to move out of the danger zone, Telstar host Go Ahead Eagles at BUKO Stadion in the Eredivisie on Sunday afternoon.

De Witte Leeuwen suffered defeat at the base of Groningen last time out in the league, whereas Kowet spent the first part of this week focusing on continental matters.

Match preview

Despite finishing a lowly seventh in the Eerste Divisie last season and losing 11 of their 38 regular-season matches, Telstar secured a remarkable promotion to the top table of Dutch football via the playoffs, with the aim now to avoid an immediate relegation to the second tier.

Since returning from the September international break, that mission has taken a little detour, with De Witte Leeuwen suffering back-to-back defeats so far this month, losing 3-1 at BUKO Stadion to Fortuna Sittard before being beat 2-0 at the base of Groningen last time out.

Managing just a single victory from their opening six matches on the top-flight scene, Telstar are currently occupying 17th in the Eredivisie standings ahead of Sunday night's hosting of Go Ahead Eagles, four points ahead of bottom side Heracles, who are yet to collect a point.

Scoring two of his side's five goals in the league since the beginning of the season, 24-year-old Patrick Brouwer is shaping up to be a key force in De Witte Leeuwen's dreams of avoiding relegation, with the attacking midfielder plying his trade in the third tier just last term.

After securing a seventh-placed finish in the Eredivisie during the 2024-25 campaign, Go Ahead Eagles managed to ultimately seal a spot in the League Phase of this season's Europa League, with the Dutch side commencing their European adventure on Thursday night.

Kowet welcomed Romanian giants FCSB to De Adelaarshorst earlier in the week, and it was the visitors who escaped clutching at maximum European points, with a first-half strike from young winger David Miculescu enough to decide the destination of the honours.

Focusing on Eredivisie matters for a moment, Go Ahead are looking to make it three straight wins in the top flight for the first time since early March after routine successes over Volendam (3-0) and PEC Zwolle (2-0), which kick-started their September schedule perfectly.

Melvin Boel's troops will also be striving to extend their unbeaten away run at the beginning of the 2025-26 Eredivisie campaign to an impressive four matches at BUKO Stadion this weekend, with Kowet picking up results at Fortuna Sittard, Heerenveen and Zwolle already.

Telstar Eredivisie form:

L L D W L L

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

D D L D W W

Go Ahead Eagles form (all competitions):

D L D W W L

Team News

After conceding twice at Groningen last time out, Telstar should make an alteration to their back three, with Neville Ogidi Nwankwo potentially dropping out.

This potential swap would allow Dion Malone to join the midfield, with the summer signing yet to earn an Eredivisie start for De Witte Leeuwen.

Go Ahead have a number of injury problems to fight against, including that of Pim Saathof, who is a doubt because of a knee injury.

Also preparing to miss out on a trip to BUKO Stadion this weekend, Oskar Sivertsen and Soren Tengstedt are major absentees for the visitors.

Telstar possible starting lineup:

Koeman; Noslin, Offerhaus, Hardeveld, De Kamp; Mertens, Rossen, Malone; Hetli, Brouwer, Tejan

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Deijl, Nauber, Kramer, James; Margaret, Smit, Bruem, Meulensteen, Suray; Edvardsen

We say: Telstar 1-1 Go Ahead Eagles

With Go Ahead Eagles playing on Thursday night, Telstar could take advantage of any tiredness from the visitors at BUKO Stadion.

Kowet will be desperate to return to winning ways after their Europa League setback, although we feel that they will only manage a point this weekend.

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