The second half of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season will commence with a meeting between Fortuna Sittard and Go Ahead Eagles at the Fortuna Sittard Stadion on Friday.
Having enjoyed relatively decent starts to the current campaign, both teams remain firmly in the hunt to secure European football and cannot afford to take their foot off the gas over the next couple of months.
Match preview
Following a six-game unbeaten spell between September 28 and November 2, Fortuna Sittard managed just one win from their subsequent six competitive outings and suffered arguably their worst result this term in December's KNVB-Beker exit at the hands of lower league outfit Quick Boys.
However, Danny Buijs's men would go on to wrap up 2024 with a commanding display against FC Utrecht as they ran out 5-2 winners when the teams went head-to-head at De Stadion Galgenwaard.
Four goals in the final 20 minutes from Jasper Dahlhaus, Ezequiel Bullaude, Alessio Da Cruz and Edouard Michut completed a sensational turnaround for the Fortunezen, who were 2-1 down to strikes from Nick Viergever and Yoann Cathline either side of Luka Tunjic's effort.
With 25 goals scored and as many conceded across their first 17 matches, Fortuna are eighth in the Eredivisie table on 25 points, although only four points separate them from the bottom half as things stand.
Friday's hosts have struggled to pick up results on a consistent basis, having not won consecutive matches in over two months, although Fortuna will be confident of kicking off their 2025 league journey on a winning note after five successes from the last six home matches.
Go Ahead Eagles came within touching distance of continental qualification last season before bowing out to Norwegian outfit Brann in the Conference League playoffs earlier this term, but they have recovered to mount another push for European football.
Paul Simonis's men have made a habit of winning points from losing positions, and that resilience was on display once again in their most recent league matches against NAC Breda, as Victor Edvardsen and Oliver Edvardsen struck four minutes apart to turn the game on its head after Sana Fernandes had opened the scoring.
The Pride of the IJssel Kowet drew the curtain on 2024 with three wins and a draw from their final four matches, and even that stalemate was courtesy of a 96th-minute equaliser conceded against Utrecht in mid-December.
A warm-up encounter against Spanish outfit Malaga saw Go Ahead Eagles extend their unbeaten run to five matches courtesy of a 1-1 stalemate, meaning they have now found the back of the net in all but one of their last 15 games.
Go Ahead Eagles are level on points with their next opponents heading into Friday's meeting, where they will be looking to exact revenge following a 2-0 defeat in August's reverse meeting at De Adelaarshorst.
Team News
Fortuna's Kaj Sierhuis is still facing an extended spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury he suffered in May and has been a big miss for Fortuna Sittard after his 12-goal haul last season.
Onur Demir and Makan Aiko are also expected to miss out on Friday, although the latter could be back from injury in time to play a part in next week's clash against NEC.
Oliver Edvardsen has directly contributed to 10 goals in his last 12 Eredivisie outings for Go Ahead Eagles, and the Norwegian is definitely one to keep an eye on here.
Twenty-four-year-old goalkeeper Luca Plogmann is set to return to the starting lineup for this one having been given a breather in the friendly against Malaga.
Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:
Koopmans; Dijks, Guth, Van Ottele, Pinto; Rosier, Bastien; Peterson, Fosso, Halilovic; Da Cruz
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
Plogmann; James, Kramer, Nauber, Deijl; Linthorst, Llansana; Antman, Breum, O Edvardsen; V Edvardsen
We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-1 Go Ahead Eagles
Go Ahead Eagles are the more in-form side leading up to this one, but Fortuna Sittard have shown they are no pushovers in front of their fans, and we are backing a share of the spoils with both teams settling for a point apiece.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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