With little margin for error from here on out, RKC Waalwijk go in search of three points to aid their quest for survival when they welcome Willem II to the Mandemakers Stadion on Sunday.
Both teams had to make do with a share of the spoils from their most recent outings and will now be looking to go one better in this weekend's encounter.
Match preview
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Off the back of defeats against Ajax and FC Utrecht in their opening two outings of the year, Waalwijk entertained the challenge of Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday seeking to kick-start their 2025 journey at the third time of asking.
Returning to the scoresheet for the first time in four matches, Oskar Zawada opened the scoring to hand Henk Fraser's men a narrow advantage, which was eventually wiped out by Said Bakari just past the midway point of the first half.
RKC remain rooted to the bottom of the Eredivisie table, having managed just eight points from 19 league matches so far to leave themselves nine points adrift of safety with 15 rounds of matches left to play.
Barring a remarkable turnaround, Waalwijk are set for a demotion to the second tier of Dutch football and can hardly have any complaints given their habit of leaking goals at the back with 44 conceded already.
Sunday's hosts have a poor record against their visitors with nine losses from the last 12 editions of this fixture, the most recent of which came in September's 3-0 thrashing in this season's reverse meeting.
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A comprehensive 6-2 defeat to FC Twente was far from an ideal start to the new year for Willem II, who however managed to hold Feyenoord to a 1-1 stalemate in Saturday's affair at Koning Willem II Stadion.
Peter Maes's men were breached on the stroke of half time by Igor Paixao and looked set for another empty outing before midfielder Jesse Bosch restored parity with 15 minutes of normal time left to play.
While a share of the spoils last time out has seen De Superkruiken lose ground on some teams around them in the race for Europe, the newly-promoted side are now a whopping nine points clear of relegation danger.
Willem II have shipped the second-fewest goals outside of the top six and also boast five clean sheets, just two fewer than they managed in the entirety of their last top-flight campaign back in 2022.
Ahead of upcoming matches against AZ Alkmaar and defending champions PSV Eindhoven, Sunday's visitors will be keen to secure all three points this weekend and close out January on a high before a daunting February schedule commences.
Team News
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Nouri El Harmazi is still out of contention for Waalwijk as he continues his battle with a shoulder problem, while Richard van der Venne prepares to sit out an eighth straight game through injury.
Dario Van den Buijs was hauled off with an injury problem towards the back end of last year and is without an appearance for the home side since then.
Yanick van Osch is a guaranteed absentee for this one as he remains ruled out with a shoulder problem, and the goalkeeper is joined on the sidelines by Daouda Weidmann.
Kyan Vaesen and Niels van Berkel are both out of contention for Willem II due to respective knee injuries, while Dani Mathieu continues to battle with a muscle problem.
The away side are also set to be without the services of 21-year-old Amine Lachkar, who is nursing a groin problem he picked up earlier this year.
RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Houwen; Van Gelderen, Van Eijma, Al Mazyani; Wouters, Oukili, Van de Loo, Lelieveld, Ihattaren; Margaret, Zawada
Willem II possible starting lineup:
Didillon; St. Jago, Behounek, Schouten, Sigurgeirsson; Doodeman, Bosch, Lambert, Joosten; Meerveld, Bokila
We say: RKC Waalwijk 0-1 Willem II
Given Waalwijk's defensive struggles, Willem II will fancy themselves to get on the scoresheet having scored in each of their last six games across all competitions.
We can see the away side scraping a narrow win when all is said and done.
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Adepoju Marvellous
