Excelsior vs Go Ahead Eagles – News and Probable Lineups

SBV Excelsior will welcome Go Ahead Eagles in their next fixture at the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion in Rotterdam this Saturday, marking the 12th round of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season.

In their recent form, Excelsior has allowed 19 goals in their last four league matches, whereas Go Ahead Eagles boasts the Eredivisie’s leading scorer Soren Tengstedt, yet they have also conceded four goals in each of their last two away games.

Match overview

Excelsior started the season strongly, garnering 10 points from their opening five league matches, placing them fourth in the Eredivisie standings following a 2-2 draw against NEC on September 8, but they have only managed to secure one point out of the last 18 available since then.

Their 0-9 loss to Twente on November 1 stands as the worst defeat in Excelsior’s league history, a match that spiraled out of control after Nesto Groen received a red card just five minutes into play for a high tackle on Robin Propper, marking the fastest dismissal in the club’s history.

In that match, Excelsior could not manage a single shot and yielded two penalties; head coach Ruben den Uil commented that his players mentally collapsed and ceased executing their roles once they found themselves behind at 0-2 or 0-3.

At home, Excelsior has secured one victory out of five league matches played, scoring five goals while conceding 19, nine of which came against Twente. In contrast, they have taken eight points from six matches played away from home.

Their total of 16 league goals thus far includes four scored against Cambuur on August 7, when Noah Naujoks netted twice, indicating that they have scored 12 times in the ten matches that have followed.

This places Excelsior in 15th position with 11 points, two points above 16th-place Telstar, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Meanwhile, Go Ahead Eagles have managed to win three out of their 11 league matches without achieving two consecutive victories, currently sitting 10th with 14 points and a goal difference of -4.

In their last match on October 31 against promoted Cambuur, the game concluded 4-0 but was terminated in the latter stages of the second half after fireworks were thrown from the away section for the second time, with the KNVB confirming that the match result stands.

Jan Willem van Dop, the general director, expressed that the actions of the away fans were very unfortunate, and as a result, Go Ahead Eagles are revoking away match registration for those supporters identified in the footage of the fireworks and the ensuing disorder.

Soren Tengstedt has netted eight goals in the league, tying with Brynjolfur Willumsson from Groningen and Wout Weghorst from Twente at the top of the scoring charts. He has found the back of the net in every one of Go Ahead Eagles’ home games, including a brace in the 3-2 victory over Telstar on October 23.

Head coach Joseph Oosting deployed Tengstedt in a free role just behind striker Victor Edvardsen against Telstar, with Oskar Sivertsen providing support on the right. The same front four were utilized in the Cambuur match.

Go Ahead Eagles have been scored against in all 11 of their league matches, conceding four against PEC Zwolle on October 18 and another four against Cambuur, with Jasper Cillessen starting as goalkeeper in both of those matches after making his debut in the KNVB Beker.

Team News

Excelsior will be without Groen, who received a three-match suspension along with one match under suspension, thus he will miss this match and the upcoming clash with Feyenoord on November 21.

Groen played a pivotal role, scoring a stoppage-time winner in their 2-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam on August 29, and David Garden, who has also found the net against Cambuur, is the most likely candidate to take his place.

Meanwhile, Go Ahead Eagles will continue without goalkeeper Nick Marsman, who is sidelined due to a knee injury and is not anticipated to return until early January, as well as defender Pim Saathof, who hasn’t played since May 2025 and is expected back around the new year.

Eus Waayers has been unavailable since mid-September.

Stefan Sigurdarson, who has netted against Feyenoord, ADO Den Haag, and PEC Zwolle, was on the bench at Cambuur and against Telstar.

Cillessen is set to remain in goal after starting the last two matches, and no players from Go Ahead Eagles are currently suspended for their trip to Rotterdam.

SBV Excelsior probable starting XI:

Van Gassel; Bos, Widell, Plug, Meissen; Van Vianen, Hartjes, Naujoks; Yegoian, Garden, Sliti

Go Ahead Eagles probable starting XI:

Cillessen; Sampsted, Dirksen, Kramer, James; Linthorst, Meulensteen; Sivertsen, Tengstedt, Suray; Edvardsen

In terms of goal tally, Go Ahead Eagles have found the net 23 times, contrasting with Excelsior’s 16. They also feature the league’s joint-top marksman in Tengstedt, while Excelsior’s defense has leaked four or more goals in three of their last four contests.

Excelsior’s case hinges on Go Ahead Eagles’ struggles, as they remain winless in six away league encounters, have conceded in all 11 league fixtures, and depend on a scorer who netted only four goals in his first 41 Eredivisie appearances prior to this season.

Nonetheless, we anticipate Go Ahead Eagles to take all three points, given that Excelsior has failed to score in three of their previous four league encounters and are missing Groen, suggesting that an away side scoring twice should suffice, even if Excelsior manages to get a goal at home.