FC Volendam and Vitesse get the ball rolling in the 2023-24 Eredivisie season with a meeting at the Kras Stadion on Friday evening.
Both teams endured relatively disappointing league campaigns last time out, and they will be keen to kick off on a winning note this time around.
Match preview
Vitesse wrapped up their preparation for the new season with a 4-1 thrashing against Getafe in Saturday's friendly at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Phillip Cocu's men opened the scoring through Said Hamulic but were pegged back by Juanmi Latasa, after which second-half goals from Carles Alena, Borja Mayoral and Sergi Altimira turned the game on its head.
Since kicking off pre-season duty with a 9-0 victory over DUNO, Geel en Zwart have failed to win any of their subsequent four warm-up fixtures, losing and drawing two apiece.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams over the last five encounters, which have yielded two wins apiece and one draw.
Having shipped seven goals across their most recent three outings on the road, Friday's visitors will need to keep things tight at the back if they are to come away with a positive result away from home.
Volendam saw off the threat of fellow Dutch top-flight side Heracles Almelo when the teams went head-to-head at the Erve Asito on Saturday.
Matthias Kohler's men stormed to a two-goal lead just past the half-hour mark following strikes from Robert Muhren and Carel Eiting but they saw their advantage halved through Jizz Hornkamp before Imran Nazih put the result beyond doubt in the second period.
Consequently, Het Andere Oranje have now gone three matches without defeat for the first time since February which bodes well ahead of their season-opener.
Unbeaten in all but one of their last six matches on home turf, Friday's hosts will be confident of putting on a show in front of their fans.
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Team News
Thomas Buitink and Davy Propper are both ruled out with long-term knee injuries, and neither of them will play any part for Vitesse here.
Said Hamulic will be aiming to come up with the goods once again after the forward opened his account for the away side last time out.
Robert Muhren has found the back of the net in each of his last three matches for Volendam, making the 34-year-old one to keep an eye on.
Daryl van Mieghem made his return to action against Heracles, but it remains to be seen if the Dutchman will be deemed fit enough to be handed a place in the XI.
FC Volendam possible starting lineup:
Backhaus; Mbuyamba, Mirani, Murkin, Plat; Benamar, Eiting, Twigt; El Kadiri, Muhren, Ould-Chikh
Vitesse possible starting lineup:
Room; Wittek, Isimat-Marin, Oroz, Arcus; Meulensteen, Tielemans; Kozlowski, Boutrah, Manhoef; Hamulic
We say: FC Volendam 1-1 Vitesse
Volendam looked lively towards the end of their pre-season campaign, and they will back themselves to put up a stern fight here. We expect the teams to cancel each other and settle for a point apiece in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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