Preview: SBV Excelsior vs. RKC Waalwijk - prediction, team news, lineups

The away side, meanwhile, make the trip this weekend aiming to pick up back to back victories, having returned to winning ways last time out.

Match preview

SBV Excelsior were left red-faced having been on the receiving end of a 4-0 thrashing against AZ Alkmaar in Sunday's clash at the AFAS Stadion.

Goals from Dani de Wit, Vangelis Pavlidis and Sven Mijnans left Marinus Dijkhuizen's men with a mountain to climb at half time after which Mijnans rounded off the scoring 18 minutes from time.

Consequently, De Roodzwarten remain 15th in the Eredivisie table, currently outside the relegation playoff place only on goal difference heading into the final quarter of the season.

Next up is the task of facing off against an opposing outfit who are unbeaten in the last five editions of this fixture dating back to 2019.

Having won just one of their last nine home matches either side of the new year, Saturday's hosts will be keen to turn things around in front of their fans.

Waalwijk claimed a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Vitesse when the teams went head-to-head at the Mandemakers Stadion on Saturday evening.

Henk Fraser's men got their noses in front through David Min but conceded a 56th-minute leveller to Paxten Aaronson after which goals from Reuven Niemeijer and Michiel Kramer decided the contest.

With 21 points from 25 matches, RKC sit 16th in the standings, level on points with this weekend's opponents ahead of the meeting in Rotterdam.

Off the back of four away defeats on the bounce by a combined score of 9-1, Saturday's visitors set out to avoid another fruitless outing on the road.

SBV Excelsior Eredivisie form:

L

L

L

L

L

L

RKC Waalwijk Eredivisie form:

L

W

L

L

L

W

Team News

RKC Waalwijk's Nouri El Harmazi remains unavailable for selection as he continues to nurse a shoulder problem, which has seen him fail to feature this term.

Michiel Kramer will be pushing for a return to the visitors' starting lineup having come off the bench to good effect against Vitesse last time out.

Dutch duo Kik Pierie and Lennard Hartjes are out through foot and knee injuries respectively, while Troy Parrott misses out through a knock.

Twenty-one-year-old Couhaib Driouech is still nursing a muscle problem and the 21-year-old's involvement this weekend currently hangs in the balance.

SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:

Van Gassel; Horemans, Widell, El Yaakoubi, Zagre; Duijvestijn, Baas, Sandra, Driouech; Parrott, Goudmijn

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Meijers, Van den Buijs, Adewoye, Lelieveld; Oukili, Roemeratoe; Lokesa, Niemeijer, Cleonise; Min

We say: SBV Excelsior 1-1 RKC Waalwijk

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