MX23RW : Wednesday, November 6 00:18:26| >> :600:250879:250879:
[monks data]
PEC Zwolle
Eredivisie | Gameweek 19
Jan 26, 2024 at 7pm UK
MAC³PARK Stadion
Vitesse

PEC Zwolle
1 - 0
Vitesse

Reijnders (16')
Fichtinger (59'), Garcia McNulty (71'), van Polen (89')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Hendriks (18'), Oroz (57')

Preview: PEC Zwolle vs. Vitesse - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Friday's Eredivisie clash between PEC Zwolle and Vitesse, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

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

Vitesse Arnhem's Adrian Grbic celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on February 24, 2022© Reuters

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.

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

Vitesse Eredivisie form:


Vitesse form (all competitions):



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


SM words green background

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.




ID:534731:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect12962:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: PEC Zwolle vs Vitesse

PEC Zwolle
68.8%
Draw
25.0%
Vitesse
6.3%
32
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
General view of Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium taken March 2015
Read Next:
Mazilu completes Brighton transfer, joins Vitesse on loan
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1PSV EindhovenPSV1110013792830
2Ajax108112391425
3FC UtrechtUtrecht108111911825
4Feyenoord1164124121222
5FC Twente116322291321
6AZ AlkmaarAZ1152422121017
7Fortuna SittardSittard115241213-117
8Go Ahead Eagles114341519-415
9NAC BredaNAC Breda115061218-615
10NECNijmegen114161610613
11Willem II113351111012
12Heracles113351222-1012
13Sparta RotterdamSparta112541217-511
14Heerenveen113261223-1111
15Groningen112361119-89
16PEC Zwolle112361121-109
17Almere CityAlmere City11137523-186
18RKC WaalwijkRKC Waalwijk111191028-184


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!