Looking to end a winless run of six matches across all competitions, Groningen travel to the Mandemakers Stadion to lock horns with RKC Waalwijk on Saturday.

Off the back of a thrilling 3-2 victory in the reverse fixture, the hosts now set out to complete a league double over their visitors in two decades.

Match preview

Groningen suffered a fifth league defeat on the bounce as they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Utrecht in the sides' meeting at Stadion Galgenwaard on Friday.

Dennis van der Ree's men fell behind to Anastasios Douvikas's late first-half strike but managed to level matters before the interval through Oliver Antman, after which Bas Dost grabbed the winner 14 minutes from time.

As a result, Trots van het Noorden remain bottom but one in the Eredivisie table, now eight points adrift of safety with just six matches left to play.

Awaiting them next is the task of facing off against an opposing outfit who are without a win in the last four editions of this fixture having failed to lose any of the six clashes prior to that.

Currently without a victory in their eight matches on the road since the turn of the year, Saturday's visitors now set out to turn their away fortunes around and breathe life into their battle for survival.

Waalwijk suffered their joint-second heaviest defeat of the season with a 5-1 thrashing against Feyenoord at De Kuip on Saturday evening.

Igor Paixao's effort sandwiched in between a Yassin Oukili own goal and Quilindschy Hartman's strike saw Joseph Oosting's men down by three heading into half time before Paixao and Santiago Gimenez added insult to injury in the second period.

With 35 points amassed from their 27 outings to date, RKC sit ninth in the league standings, three points behind the last playoff place having played a game fewer.

In the first of three home matches left this term, Saturday's hosts will be looking to continue their fine form on home turf, where they have won five of the most recent eight involvements.

Team News

Groningen's Paulos Abraham remains sidelined with a long-term knee problem which has seen him fail to feature since a friendly meeting against Spezia back in December.

Thijmen Blokzijl also misses out for the hosts through a damaged ankle, but the 18-year-old is drawing increasingly close to making his comeback.

Waalwijk's Mika Biereth was named man of the match in the reverse fixture earlier this season, and the Dane will be seeking to come up trumps for his side this weekend.

Off the back of a five-goal drubbing last time out, Joseph Oosting could contemplate making some changes to his defensive unit for this one.

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Gaari, Van den Buijs, Nieuwpoort; Lelieveld, Bel Hassani, Anita, Clement, Lutonda; Kramer, Seuntjens

Groningen possible starting lineup:
Verrips; Willems, Balker, Chalus, Van Gelderen; Oratmangoen, Suslov, Hove; Manu, Pepi, Antman

We say: RKC Waalwijk 2-0 Groningen

Given Groningen's woeful record at the back all-season long, Waalwijk will back themselves to get on the scoresheet, and we are tipping the home side to come away with all three points in the end.


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