SBV Excelsior vs Groningen - prediction, team news, lineups

SBV Excelsior and Groningen bring circular 9 of the 2026-27 Eredivisie play to a adjacent with a gathering astatine Stadion Woudestein connected Sunday evening.

With some teams level connected points, determination is small to abstracted them up of this weekend’s clash successful Rotterdam.

Match preview

After starting the period with a 3-0 demolition of Willem II, the September planetary interruption arrived astatine a bully clip for Excelsior, who saw their winless tally widen to 3 matches pursuing a 2-2 gully against Ajax astatine the Johan Cruyff Arena.

A instrumentality of conscionable 2 points from the past 9 available, aft collecting 9 from the archetypal 12, has dampened the temper for Ruben den Uil’s side. Nevertheless, they presently inhabit the last European spot successful the Eredivisie table with 11 points.

Back connected location turf for the archetypal clip successful astir a period - since a 2-1 decision to Utrecht connected September 13 - De Roodzwarten are aiming to instrumentality to winning ways against a Groningen broadside they precocious bushed 3-2 successful May, snapping a three-game losing streak successful this fixture.

Excelsior beryllium 13th successful the part for expected goals (9.68), but objective finishing has seen them people 15 times. They volition request to amended their accidental instauration to equine a sustained European push.

Irakli Yegoian has contributed to conscionable nether fractional of his side’s goals this season, but six of his 7 nonstop involvements person travel distant from home, truthful Sunday’s hosts volition anticipation helium tin present astatine Stadion Woudestein this weekend.

Groningen’s run began with back-to-back wins followed by consecutive defeats, making for a mixed start. However, aft collecting 5 points from the past 9 available, they volition beryllium feeling overmuch much affirmative heading into their instrumentality to league action.

A 3-0 triumph implicit PEC Zwolle past clip out, driven by a man-of-the-match show from Thom van Bergen, marked Trots van het Noorden’s astir ascendant show of 2026-27 and delivered their archetypal cleanable expanse successful 12 matches dating backmost to past season.

With 11 of their 15 goals coming successful the archetypal half, nary Eredivisie squad has scored a higher proportionality of their goals earlier fractional clip than Dick Lukkien’s side, who person opened the scoring successful six of their 8 league matches.

Having breached the deadlock successful 4 of the past 5 editions of this fixture, different accelerated commencement connected Sunday could acceptable the visitors connected their mode to a 3rd consecutive distant triumph astatine Excelsior, with the erstwhile 2 coming by a combined people of 4-0.

Groningen look Ajax and NEC - 2 of past season’s apical 5 - aft this weekend’s travel to Rotterdam, and volition beryllium anxious to caput into those clashes with momentum connected their side.

SBV Excelsior Eredivisie form:

Groningen Eredivisie form:

Team News

Noah Naujoks scored doubly successful Excelsior’s play opener against Cambuur but has not featured since owed to injury.

Aymen Sliti impressed connected planetary work and present has 4 goals and 2 assists successful his past 8 matches for nine and country, making him 1 to watch.

Malcolm Jeng, Tyrique Mercera, and Nikolas Brandis stay sidelined for Groningen, and they are present joined by chap defenders Wouter Prins and Elvis van der Laan.

Travis Hernes is besides retired for the visitors, who stay without 18-year-old Ryan Metu for a seventh consecutive game.

Thom van Bergen has six extremity contributions successful conscionable 7 matches and looks acceptable to surpass his idiosyncratic champion of 15 from the 2023-24 season.

SBV Excelsior imaginable starting lineup:

Van Gassel; Moreira, Widell, Plug, Janssen; Yegoian, Meissen, Hartjes; Sliti, Garden, Thorsteinsson

Groningen imaginable starting lineup:

Vaessen; Csinger, Hateboer, Blokzijl, Schreuders; Land, De Jonge; Clement, Van Bergen, Van der Werff; Willumsson

We say: SBV Excelsior 2-1 Groningen

Sunday’s crippled could spell either mode based connected this season’s form, but Excelsior volition caput into the clash nether greater pressure.

We expect that to substance a spirited show from the hosts, who should borderline a constrictive victory.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.