Aiming to build on a respectable point on the road last time out, PEC Zwolle will welcome bottom side Vitesse to MAC Park Stadion on Friday night in the Eredivisie.
The Blauwvingers shared the spoils with Europe-chasing AZ Alkmaar on the weekend, while Vitesse narrowly lost out to Feyenoord in a match that was overshadowed by unsavoury behaviour from supporters.
Match preview
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After sharing the points with perennial champions Ajax in a four-goal thriller on December 17 prior to the Eredivisie's winter break, PEC Zwolle have returned to competitive action in the new calendar year with back-to-back 2-2 draws, being held at home by Heerenveen before taking a result from AZ Alkmaar on Saturday.
The contest sprung into life following a goalless first period at AFAS Stadion, and although the visitors took the lead twice thanks to strikes from Lennart Thy and Odysseus Velanas, goals from marksman Evangelos Pavlidis and Sven Mijnans forced a split of the points.
Securing an immediate return to the Eredivisie stage by finishing second in the Eerste Divisie last season, Johnny Jansen inherited his Zwolle side in the summer and has taken them to new heights, with Friday's hosts currently occupying 10th in the top-flight standings, six points ahead of 16th-placed RKC Waalwijk.
The goalscoring antics of German Thy and Dutchman Ferdy Druijf have been key to the Blauwvingers avoiding trouble at the bottom of the division on their return to this level, with the pair netting 13 top-flight strikes between them so far, while Younes Namli has made the net ripple on four occasions.
After averaging over three goals per game in home matches on their way to automatic promotion last campaign, Zwolle have fared much worse at the MAC³PARK Stadion in 2023-24, scoring only nine in as many contests and winning once - only Utrecht and Friday's opponents from Arnhem have succeeded fewer times in front of their own supporters.
Although Sunday afternoon's matchup with current champions Feyenoord provided glimpses of hope in footballing terms for Vitesse, the game was massively overshadowed by ugly scenes involving sections of the home support, as a group of home fans at the GelreDome invaded the pitch in protest of the club's dire situation.
When winger Amine Boutrah breached the net of Justin Bijlow in the second period to cancel out Lutsharel Geertruida's opener, it looked as if the Arnhem-based team were set for a respectable result against Arne Slot's charges, but Ondrej Lingr netted off the bench for the visitors to condemn Vitesse to a 12th loss in 18 league games.
After top-half finishes in all but one of the previous 12 Eredivisie campaigns, Edward Sturing's men are fighting desperately against a nosedive into the second tier, with Friday's hosts currently sitting bottom of the league table, seven points adrift of 15th-placed Heracles, who have enjoyed an upturn in form following the winter pause.
Netting just 13 goals in their opening 18 Eredivisie fixtures, Vitesse have moved decisively in the January transfer window to recruit some firepower in attack, with Romanian winger Adrian Mazilu making the journey from Brighton & Hove Albion on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Vitesse will take confidence from their recent meetings with Zwolle, who are in the midst of a four-game winless run in this fixture stretching back to December 2020, with the Arnhem club beating the Blauwvingers on their last visit to Deventer courtesy of a Nikolai Baden strike in August 2021.
Team News
Zwolle are set to be without the services of five-goal attacker Druijf until next month due to injury, meaning the places of Velanas and Eliano Reijnders in the XI are relatively secure.
Anouar El Azzouzi missed the game on the weekend after pulling out of training with a knock earlier in the week, and the 22-year-old is a doubt for Friday night.
A number of injuries in the Blauwvingers' midfield resulted in 19-year-old Nick Fichtinger making his full debut in the draw at Alkmaar, and the youngster could start again alongside Davy van den Berg.
Vitesse's Andy Visser was forced off during the contest against Feyenoord due to a head injury following a nasty-looking collision with Gernot Trauner, meaning Joel Voelkerling Persson could be handed a rare start in attack.
Thomas Buitink provided an assist against the Pride of the South on his return from a long-term injury, and the forward could be rewarded with a starting berth in Zwolle.
Sturing's side have missed the attacking capabilities of winger Milano Jonathans in recent months, with the 19-year-old picking up a knee injury in late October.
PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:
Schendelaar; Van Polen, Kersten, Lam, McNulty; Fichtinger, Van den Berg, Namli, Velanas, Reijnders; Thy
Vitesse possible starting lineup:
Room; Van Zwam, Isimat-Mirin, Hendriks, Cornelisse; Domgjoni, Meulensteen, Manhoef, Van Ginkel, Boutrah; Buitink
We say: PEC Zwolle 2-1 Vitesse
Zwolle have earned respectable draws with Ajax, Heerenveen and AZ in their last three matches, but there will be a real emphasis on the Blauwvingers to collect maximum points against the bottom side in this one.
Vitesse have lost seven of their nine away matches in the Eredivisie this term, and we are predicting that tally will increase to eight on Friday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
