Willem II vs PEC Zwolle – News and Probable Lineups

This Friday night, Willem II and PEC Zwolle will commence round 12 of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season with a fixture at the Koning Willem II Stadion.

The home side continues to look for their first victory in the league this season, while their opponents aim to maintain an unbeaten run in the league that has stretched to four matches.

Match overview

Willem II starts a new chapter under Jurgen Streppel, who has recently been named as the head coach, and they will be eager for their new manager to make an immediate impact, particularly after their slow beginning to the season.

De Superkruiken achieved their first win of the 2026-27 season with a nail-biting 4-3 victory against Helmond Sport in the KNVB Beker, but they subsequently encountered a disheartening 7-0 defeat to the reigning champions PSV Eindhoven, marking their ninth loss in 11 Eredivisie matches.

Currently sitting 11 points away from safety, Willem II is facing the consequences of one of the longest winless starts in Eredivisie history. As the season progresses, they will need to experience a significant turnaround in their fortunes to steer clear of relegation.

A win against Zwolle would serve as a perfect initiation to Streppel’s tenure, yet the hosts have found it tough to secure victories at home against this opponent, having only succeeded in one of the last five encounters (L3, D1).

With 26 out of their 39 goals conceded occurring after halftime, Willem II’s outcome may heavily depend on their performance in the second half. The reality of facing a team that has only scored a third of its 12 goals in the first half provides little optimism.

In contrast, while Zwolle has not been as poor as Willem II, they also stumbled at the start of their campaign, managing just one victory from their first eight matches. However, they have turned things around recently, having won two of their last three, sandwiching a 1-1 draw with Utrecht.

Between those three unbeaten league matches was a disappointing 2-1 cup loss to lower-league opposition, which is arguably their most frustrating result thus far. Nevertheless, they head to Tilburg with a restored sense of confidence.

Zwolle is still in pursuit of a new head coach following the exit of Henry van den Vegt. Meanwhile, caretaker manager Dennis van der Ree is slowly making a case for himself, as his tenure coincides with an improvement in results.

A win against Willem II in their last game before the international break would undoubtedly strengthen the calls from the Zwolle supporters for Van der Ree to be given the role permanently. The 47-year-old will be keen to enhance his reputation after experiencing a challenging time with Groningen.

No side in the Eredivisie has had a lower conversion rate of their big chances than Zwolle (20.8%), highlighting an area that requires enhancement if they aim to sustain their positive trend.

Team News

Jaden Slory missed the last outing against PSV due to a one-match suspension, but is available for selection in this match.

This means Justin Hoogma and Amine Lackhar will be the only confirmed absentees for the home side, as both are sidelined due to knee and groin injuries respectively.

Eighteen-year-old Givaro Rahajaan has not participated in a matchday squad since early September and remains unavailable for PEC Zwolle.

For the visitors, Sherel Floranus will be missing his fourth consecutive match, while Filip Krastev is also out due to an Achilles injury.

Younes Namli was on the scoresheet in the last fixture between these teams, and the Dane will be keen to make his mark again.

Willem II probable starting XI:

Delanghe; Ter Avest, Stam, Dekker, Tjoe a On; Twigt, Zarrouk; Slory, Van Aalst, Van Crooy; Haen

PEC Zwolle probable starting XI:

violator; Van de Haar, Viergever, Graves, Aertssen; Sommer, Thomas, Van der Wal; Mbayo, Van Hooijdonk, Namli

Returning to the Eredivisie after 11 years, new head coach Streppel faces the task of pulling off one of the greatest turnarounds in league history.

Given Zwolle’s current performance and Willem II’s ongoing defensive struggles, the visitors are slight favorites to prevail.