Go Ahead Eagles vs. Heracles – News and Probable Lineups

As the relegation battle intensifies, Heracles heads to De Adelaarshorst on Sunday to face fellow relegation contenders Go Ahead Eagles.

This match marks the third encounter between the teams this season, with both teams securing a win in their prior league and cup meetings.

Match overview

Desperate for their first league victory of 2026, Go Ahead Eagles experienced a disappointing 1-0 loss against Feyenoord last Sunday, where a 92nd-minute penalty by Casper Tengstedt determined the outcome.

Since their 2-1 victory over Feyenoord in early November, Melvin Boel’s squad has failed to achieve a win in their last 11 Eredivisie matches. During this stretch, they’ve managed to claim two wins in other competitions, both in the KNVB Beker, which included a penalty shootout win against Heracles on January 14.

Before that, Go Ahead Eagles suffered defeats in two consecutive league matches against Heracles, which included a missed opportunity in November’s previous fixture where they led 2-1 at half-time before losing 4-2.

Despite their poor run, the pride of the IJssel Kowet can consider themselves fortunate to still be four points clear of the relegation zone, having collected only seven points from a potential 33 in their last matches.

With 11 games left—seven against top 10 contenders—urgent improvements in results are crucial to avoid a drop to the second division.

Similar to Go Ahead Eagles, Heracles is also facing a challenging end to the season, with crucial matches against fellow relegation rivals that could prove pivotal for their survival chances.

A recent 1-0 loss to a struggling NAC Breda side saw Ernest Faber’s team drop to last place, now six points adrift of safety heading into this weekend’s match in Deventer.

It is uncommon for the league’s weakest defence in any season to remain in the division, as evidenced by Heracles’ alarming record of 58 goals conceded—at least nine more than any other team—exemplifying their biggest vulnerability this season.

HAFC has finished in the bottom five during their last three top-flight seasons, so they are familiar with relegation battles. However, their current situation is becoming increasingly alarming.

With 10 losses in 12 away league matches, the visitors must resolve their away form issues to have any hope of survival and achieve a miraculous turnaround.

Team News

For Go Ahead Eagles, Robbin Weijenberg and Pim Saathof are unavailable due to knee injuries, while Gerrit Nauber is sidelined because of a leg injury.

Dean Ruben James is close to a return for the hosts, but Thibo Baeten will be absent this weekend after being sent off against Feyenoord.

Mathis Suray exited the earlier match with an injury concern and will undergo a late fitness assessment to confirm his availability for Sunday.

Heracles’ Jeff Reine-Adelaide (knee) has had a challenging debut season marred by injury, still dealing with a persistent knee issue.

Additionally, Mario Engels, Fabian de Keijzer, and Sem Scheperman (muscle) are also out for the visitors, who are further impacted by illnesses affecting Alec van Hoorenbeeck, Yvandro Borges Sanches, Bryan Limbombe, and Jannes Wieckhoff.

Go Ahead Eagles probable starting XI:

De Busser; Sampsted, Van Zwam, Kramer, Adelgaard; Meulensteen, Linthorst; Slory, Breum, Margaret; Edvardsen

Heracles probable starting XI:

feather key; Mesik, Cestic, Te Wierik; Van der Kust, Mirani, Hrustic, Benita; Unuvar, Ould Chikh; Seafish

Heracles finds themselves in a critical situation in their efforts to maintain top-flight status, and a loss this weekend could be detrimental.

Nevertheless, considering the visitors’ defensive weaknesses, it’s anticipated that the hosts could achieve a comfortable win and alleviate their own relegation worries.