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

Looking to solidify their top-flight status but dreaming of a European place in the Eredivisie, promoted club Telstar are set to host Fortuna Sittard at BUKO Stadion on Sunday afternoon.

De Witte Leeuwen will be hoping to make it back-to-back wins this weekend, while FSC will be looking to build on their own victory last time out.

Match preview

Anthony Correia's Telstar earned promotion from the Eerste Divisie via the playoffs in 2024-25, and though they started their top-flight campaign with consecutive defeats, they seem to have found their footing.

Prior to the international break, De Witte Leeuwen secured their first point of the season in a 2-2 draw with FC Volendam on August 23, before following that up with a memorable 2-0 triumph on the road to giants PSV Eindhoven a week later.

That win brought Correia's side up to 12th in the table, where their tally of four points has them two above Heerenveen in the relegation zone and two behind eighth-placed Groningen in the Conference League playoff spots.

Hoping to solidify their position in the Eredivisie, the hosts will take confidence from their excellent home record that features just one defeat from their last 12 games at BUKO Stadion, a run that goes back to February.

Three points on Sunday could see Telstar climb up to seventh, and they could find themselves level on seven points with sixth-placed AZ Alkmaar in a best-case scenario.

Meanwhile, Danny Buijs's Fortuna finished mid-table in the Eredivisie last season - 11th place - and they will be looking upwards at the top eight this time around.

However, FSC have been mixed in 2025-26, and with one win, one draw and one loss so far, they are currently 10th in the table and level on four points with their opponents.

In fairness, Buijs's men have played one less match than six of the nine teams above them, and after beating NEC Nijmegen 3-2 last time out thanks to a 94th-minute winner from Paul Gladon, they will be hopeful of climbing the ranks this weekend.

Should Fortuna secure their second victory of the campaign, then they could move up to seventh with a game in hand on their potential European rivals.

That being said, the visitors have not won a competitive clash on the road since a 2-1 triumph over now-relegated RKC Waalwijk on February 28, and they will need to defy their travelling record to take all three points on Sunday.

Telstar Eredivisie form:

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

Team News

Telstar's back three kept a clean sheet while providing assists for both of their side's goals against PSV, so expect Devon Koswal, Guus Offerhaus and Danny Bakker to start ahead of goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Soufiane Hetli is likely to start up top, supported by Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp and Patrick Brouwer.

As for Fortuna, Mohamed Ihattaren will be keen to build on his brace last time out against NEC, and he should be supported by Dimitris Limnios and Kristoffer Peterson out wide given that Alen Halilovic is a doubt.

In the centre of the park, Philip Brittijn and Ryan Fosso are set to start in a double pivot once again should Samuel Bastien miss out due to illness, with Justin Lonwijk operating in an attacking midfield role.

Elsewhere, left-back Daley Sinkgraven and goalkeeper Ramazan Bayram are dealing with knee injuries, though Ivan Marquez and Shawn Adewoye should be ready to start at the heart of defence, protecting Mattijs Branderhorst between the sticks while flanked by Jasper Dahlhaus and Ivo Pinto at full-back.

Telstar possible starting lineup:

Koeman Jr; Koswal, Offerhaus, Bakker; Noslin, Owusu, Rossen, Hardeveld; Van de Kamp, Brouwer; Hetli

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

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