Willem II vs. NEC Nijmegen - prediction, team news, lineups

Both winless successful the opening matchday of the caller Eredivisie season, Willem II and NEC look disconnected astatine Koning Willem II Stadion connected Saturday, aiming to unafraid their archetypal points of 2026-27.

While they suffered a disappointing location decision astatine the hands of Telstar, the Nijmegen outfit person since responded by surging into the play-off circular successful Champions League qualifying, giving them immoderate encouragement earlier visiting Tilburg.

Match preview

Back successful the Eredivisie aft a twelvemonth away, Willem II were handed a baptism of occurrence distant astatine Go Ahead Eagles, against whom they fell 4-1.

The time did look to beryllium going successful their favour aft taking an aboriginal 13th-minute pb done Devin Haen, lone to beryllium pegged backmost by Soren Tengstedt connected the half-hour people earlier letting successful 3 much aft the break.

That hammering efficaciously showed past season's play-off winners what they are up against backmost successful the large time, and they volition beryllium pleased to instrumentality to location comforts connected Saturday.

Indeed, Tilburg volition beryllium rocking this play erstwhile the Super Pitchers play their archetypal location lucifer successful the apical part aft 2 years, alert of their three-match winning streak connected location turf to extremity the regular season.

That ought to springiness John Stegeman's broadside an undoubted boost, particularly erstwhile they realise that they bushed NEC successful the corresponding fixture in 2024-25 4-1 before drafting successful Nijmegen, and they purpose to widen their two-match unbeaten series successful this fixture.

That volition beryllium easier said than done, however, considering that Dick Schreuder's NEC iteration are antithetic gravy compared to the squad that were deed for 4 successful Tilburg 2 years ago.

This squad are present high-scoring and person ambitions of playing Champions League football, having taken a elephantine measurement towards a debut quality successful the league signifier aft Tuesday's 2-1 success implicit Olympiacos.

Summer accomplishment Emre Mor was the eventual leader for Schreuder's troops against the Greek heavyweights, confirming that they volition play successful either the Champions League — if they travel done their imminent Bodo/Glimt necktie — oregon the Europa League if they autumn to decision successful the tie.

Their midweek triumph besides sprayed much-needed positivity connected a broadside that lost 2-1 to Telstar past weekend, a effect that extended the Nijmegen side's winless tally to 4 matches.

Fresh disconnected snapping that unwanted series astatine the 5th clip of asking, NEC present bid to assertion consecutive victories successful competitory matches for the archetypal clip since March, erstwhile they notched 2 3-2 victories implicit PSV Eindhoven successful league and cupful and bushed FC Volendam 3-0.

Nonetheless, the squad should beryllium wary of looking excessively acold up to playing Bodo/Glimt, risking taking their oculus disconnected the shot successful Tilburg this weekend; that is so what the promoted broadside volition beryllium counting on.

Willem II Eredivisie form:

NEC Eredivisie form:

NEC signifier (all competitions):

Team News

While Thomas Didillon-Hodl's hamstring wounded volition beryllium assessed, Hidde ter Avest, Jari Schuurman, Amine Lachkar (groin), Anass Zarrouk and Armin Culum (foot) are apt absentees for Saturday.

Although Superkruiken were beaten successful their league opener, Haen much oregon little picked up wherever helium near disconnected past word — helium notched 18 league goals successful the Eerste Divisie — and helium present aims to people successful consecutive top-flight matches.

Dusan Tadic's interaction has already been evident astatine NEC, and the veteran, who netted against Olympiacos, should clasp his spot successful the XI this weekend.

Also susceptible of deciding matches are chap veterans Tjaronn Chery and Bryan Linssen, portion summertime accomplishment Kaj Sierhuis — who netted 12 league goals for Fortuna Sittard successful 2025-26 — adds to the Nijmegen side's firepower.

Missing this weekend, however, are Koki Ogawa, Perr Schuurs and Yassin Moslih, portion Sami Ouaissa and Philippe Sandler volition beryllium assessed aft going disconnected successful the archetypal fractional of the 3rd qualifying circular occurrence against Olympiacos.

Willem II imaginable starting lineup:

Van der Steen; Van Loon, Stam, Hoogma, Tjoe-A-On; Gurbuz, Ciranni, Boogaard, Slory; Haen, Van Aalst

NEC imaginable starting lineup:

Crettaz; Storm, Pereira, Fonville; Nejasmic; Mor, Monteiro, Lebreton, Bischoff; Chery, Sierhuis

We say: Willem II 1-1 NEC

While the hosts volition beryllium keen to bounce backmost successful beforehand of a raucous location crowd, they look an wholly antithetic tactical situation against a resolute and Champions League-chasing NEC side.

Schreuder's men whitethorn beryllium nursing dense legs aft their midweek heroics, but their undeniable attacking firepower should beryllium capable to unit a gritty gully connected Saturday.

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