Preview: Sparta Rotterdam vs. Cambuur - prediction, team news, lineups

Still without a victory away from home this term, Cambuur travel to the Het Kasteel for their meeting against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the home side will be looking to get back to winning ways on familiar turf, where they are yet to taste defeat in three outings this term.

Match preview

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Sparta were involved in a share of the spoils for the second game running on Wednesday following a 1-1 stalemate versus PEC Zwolle at the Mac3Park Stadion.

Henk Fraser's men wasted no time in taking the lead as Vito van Crooy opened the scoring inside 60 seconds before Daishawn Redan levelled matters seven minutes later.

Having recorded only one league victory all-season long, De Rood-Witte Gladiatoren are 12th in the Eredivisie table heading into this weekend's contest.

Going up against an opposing side who they have beaten in seven of the last 12 meetings between the teams, the Rotterdam-based outfit have an opportunity to secure a long-awaited triumph.

However, Sunday's hosts are yet to keep a clean sheet this term while also averaging just a goal per game meaning that an improvement on at least one end of the pitch needs to be made if they are to come away with all three points.

Cambuur responded superbly to a 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Ajax by defeating Heracles Almelo 2-1 at the Cambuur-Stadion on Thursday.

Henk de Jong's men took control of proceedings thanks to goals from Michael Breij and Mees Hoedemakers, before Sinan Bakis grabbed a consolation strike for his side in the final minute of normal time.

The Yellow-Blues have moved back into the top half of the Eredivisie table and continue to hold their own since gaining promotion back into the top flight.

With games against AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord on the horizon, Sunday's visitors are faced with one of their most challenging run of matches and will be keen on getting off to a good start.

Team News

Twenty-year-old defender Maxim Gullit will play no part for the away side this weekend as he remains out of action due to a muscle problem.

Cambuur will also make the journey to Rotterdam without the services of Erik Schouten, who is set to miss a fourth straight game through a knee injury.

Tom Beugelsdijk is Sparta's only absentee for the game after picking up a thigh problem in the hosts' last win, which came against Fortuna Sittard a fortnight ago.

Despite his side's struggles defensively, Henk Fraser is expected to stick with his regular defensive unit of Aaron Meijers, Michael Heylen, Dirk Abels and Bart Vriends shielding Maduka Okoye in goal.

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Meijers, Heylen, Vriends, Abels; Auassar, Osman, Van Crooy; Mijnans, Smeets, Thy

Cambuur possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Schmidt, Mac-Intosch, Van der Meer, Bangura; Hoedemakers, Jacobs, Breij, Maulun, Kallon; Boere

We say: Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 Cambuur

Sparta have picked up five of their six points so far at home and will know that their performances on home turf will go a long way in determining how well they perform this term. We are backing them to emerge victorious come the end of the 90 minutes.