Almere City hosts Sparta Rotterdam at the Yanmar Stadion this Saturday in a fixture where both sides are desperate for three points - but for very different reasons.
A victory for the visitors would preserve their hopes of securing European qualification, whereas a defeat for the hosts could result in their relegation from the Eredivisie being confirmed this weekend.
Match preview
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Almere City's top-flight status is hanging by a thread, as they sit five points adrift of Willem II in the relegation playoff spot with only nine points left to play for before the season's end.
De Zwarte Schapen delivered a resilient performance to hold newly crowned KNVB Beker champions Go Ahead Eagles to a goalless draw last week, though it also marked their fourth consecutive match without a victory (D2 L2).
Against Kowet, Jeroen Rijsdijk's side dominated for large stretches, firing 29 attempts on goal without finding the back of the net, once again highlighting their major issue this season.
Almere City have drawn a blank in 16 of their 31 league matches to date, and their 21-goal tally in the top flight this season is 10 fewer than any other team in the division.
While a victory for the hosts is crucial this weekend, they are winless in their last six games at Yanmar Stadion and have conceded two or more goals in half of the matches during that period.
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Meanwhile, Sparta Rotterdam's upward trajectory in recent months was halted last weekend, when they suffered a 2-0 defeat on the road against FC Twente.
Michal Sadilek opened the scoring before Sem Steijn netted his 24th goal of the season, handing Sparta their first defeat in eight matches - a run that stretched back to the start of the February international break.
Still, De Kasteelheren have collected 10 points from their last five matches (W3 D1 L1), which is a tally bettered only by Feyenoord (15), FC Utrecht (13) and PSV Eindhoven (12) over the same period.
While the reverse fixture ended in a 2-2 draw back in October, Maurice Steijn's side head into this weekend's clash on a three-match unbeaten run away from home, having not lost on the road in the Eredivisie since a February 14 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles.
Team News
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Almere City will have to make do without the services of key central defender Ricardo Visus, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend and will be suspended for this match.
One of Theo Barbet or Joey Jacobs is the most likely to replace Visus in the heart of the defence, while Damil Dankerlui is also expected to return to the starting lineup for the hosts this weekend.
Sparta Rotterdam have just one injury absentee for this match in Carel Eiting, who picked up a knock against Ajax a couple of weeks ago and could remain sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Maurice Steijn has sent out the same starting 11 in each of their last five matches, and given their recent results, he will likely maintain the lineup, with Gjivai Zechiel and Joshua Kitolano operating in the double pivot.
Almere City possible starting lineup:
Bakker; Martins, Dankerlui, Lawrence, Zagaritis; Carbonell, Haye; Jasim, Robinet, Kadile; Brym
Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Bakari, Young, Eerdhuijzen, Van Aanholt; Zechiel, Kitolano; Van Bergen, Hlynsson, Mito; Lauritsen
We say: Almere City 0-1 Sparta Rotterdam
While Almere City have produced a few resilient performances recently, their lack of attacking output is a major issue. Sparta are a side on the up, and we feel they will bounce back from last week's defeat with a victory in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
