Two weeks since facing off in the KNVB Beker final, Go Ahead Eagles and AZ Alkmaar are set to meet again on Sunday afternoon in a crucial Eredivisie clash at De Adelaarshorst.
Both these sides are level on 47 points, and while neither will be able to finish in the top four this season, fifth through seventh are separated by just one point with four games left to play.
Match preview
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Regardless of what happens from now until the end of the league campaign, Go Ahead Eagles will look back at the 2024-25 season with fond memories, having won the KNVB Beker for the first time in their history on April 21.
Kowet beat their upcoming opponents in Rotterdam in a thrilling penalty shootout to earn their first cup title in 60 years, while the victory also secured their entry to the Europa League next season.
However, Paul Simonis's team missed a golden opportunity to move up in the league standings last week, when they drew goalless against relegation candidates Almere City after both AZ and fifth-placed Twente dropped points in their matches.
With that result, the team from Deventer have now drawn each of their last three league games and are winless in their last four (D3 L1), dating back to before the March international break when they beat Willem II.
Still, the hosts will have the psychological advantage coming into this match, and are also carrying one of the best home records in the division, with 31 points earned from their 15 games at De Adelaarshorst this season.
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Meanwhile, the KNVB Beker defeat marked the third consecutive time that AZ Alkmaar fell short in the final of the competition and was yet another disappointment in what has been a very difficult couple of months for them.
Heading into the final, AZ had suffered back-to-back league defeats against Feyenoord and Heracles, and had not won a match in any competition since edging Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the first leg of their round of 16 tie at the start of March.
Following the final defeat, Maarten Martens's side faced NAC Breda in the league three days later and were on the verge of another defeat, but Mexx Meerdink spared their blushes by scoring in stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw.
The visitors are now winless in their last seven league games (D4 L3), with four of those games coming on the road, and of those away games, they conceded two or more goals three times.
Team News
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Soren Tengstedt, who had been out since February with a broken foot, featured in the cup final off the bench and scored his spot-kick in the shootout, but he missed last week's match against Almere City and is flagged as a doubt for this weekend.
Jakob Breum has now missed the last 10 games since sustaining a foot injury after a tackle by Ajax's Daniele Rugani, and he is unlikely to feature this weekend, but Dean James could return to the squad, having resumed training following a hamstring injury.
Republic of Ireland international Troy Parrott scored his 20th goal of the season in the KNVB Beker final, but he was forced off with a groin injury in the 54th minute and sat out the match against NAC Breda last week.
Aside from Parrott, the visitors are expected to be missing at least two players this week due to injury in Jeroen Zoet (hand) and Jordy Clasie (calf), while Kristijan Belic is listed as questionable.
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
De Busser; Deijl, Nauber, Kramer, Adelgaard; Llansana, Linthorst; Suray, Edvardsen, Antman; Smit
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Owusu-Oduro; Kasius, Penetra, Dekker, Wolfe; Koopmeiners, Buurmeester; Sadiq, Smit, Van Bommel, Meerdink
We say: Go Ahead Eagles 1-1 AZ Alkmaar
Go Ahead Eagles have the psychological advantage coming into this contest, but there is very little to separate these sides on paper, with both level on 47 points, while the two matches they have faced off in this season have ended level in regulation time.
AZ would love nothing more than to get their revenge in this match, but they are winless in their last seven league games, and we feel they will have to settle for a share of the spoils in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
