Preview: Ajax vs. Vitesse - prediction, team news, lineups

Defending champions Ajax welcome Vitesse to the Johan Cruyff ArenA on Wednesday with a place in the last four of the KNVB Beker at stake.

Both teams faced off in last season's final of the competition with Ajax running out 2-1 winners to secure a 20th crown in April.

Match preview

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Ajax kicked off the defence of their title with a 4-0 victory over Barendrecht before a 9-0 demolition of Excelsior Maassluis on January 20.

Those aforementioned wins are part of a seven-game winning run which Erik ten Hag's men are currently on off the back of a 3-0 triumph over Heracles on Sunday which saw move five points clear at the top.

De Godenzonen took the lead midway through the first half thanks to Davy Klaassen before second-half goals from Sebastien Haller and Kenneth Taylor sealed the deal.

The Dutch giants now turn their focus to another potential source of silverware as they take on an opposing side who they have beaten in seven of the last eight meetings.

Wednesday's hosts also claimed a resounding 5-0 victory in the most recent encounter and will be confident of another emphatic display in this one.

Vitesse have lost back to back games for this first time this season following a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of FC Twente on Saturday.

Jesse Bosch opened the scoring in the 19th minute before Ricky van Wolfswinkel grabbed a brace to sink Thomas Letsch's men at De Grolsch Veste.

These defeats have come off the back of a 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions which Geel en Zwart had earlier enjoyed prior to their loss versus Groningen on January 22.

Last season's beaten finalists must now pick themselves up as soon as possible ahead of a daunting trip to a venue where they have not fared well of late.

Team News

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Jacob Rasmussen is ineligible to participate in this one as he serves a suspension courtesy of a 45th-minute red card in his side's last outing.

Lois Openda will also sit the game out through suspension, meaning that Adrian Grbic should lead the line once again.

Andre Onana recently crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Cameroonian may not be back in time for Wednesday's game.

Nineteen-year-old Kenneth Taylor opened his Eredivisie account versus Heracles and could be rewarded with a start in this one.

Nobody has scored more goals in this season's KNVB-Beker than Brazilian forward Danilo, who netted four times in Ajax's 9-0 triumph in the round of 16.

Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Tagliafico, Schuurs, Timber, Rensch; Taylor, Berghuis, Alvarez; Danilo, Antony, Tadic

Vitesse possible starting lineup:
Houwen; Bazoer, Doekhi, Oroz; Wittek, Bero, Tronstad, Dasa; Frederiksen, Gboho, Grbic

We say: Ajax 3-0 Vitesse

Ajax have won their last seven games by a combined score of 28-1, highlighting their solidity at both ends of the pitch, and we cannot envisage any other outcome than a comfortable victory for them come the end of the 90 minutes.

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