Go Ahead Eagles vs. Telstar – News and Probable Lineups

Go Ahead Eagles are set to host SC Telstar at De Adelaarshorst in Deventer for an Eredivisie clash this coming Friday.

The hosts, currently in ninth place and winless in their last five matches, will face a Telstar squad that sits sixteenth in the standings and is eager for their first victory in eight attempts.

Match overview

Joseph Oosting’s team is positioned ninth in the Eredivisie with a record of two wins, five draws, and two losses in nine matches, totaling 11 points.

In their last five matches, four resulted in draws, with Go Ahead Eagles having played out 3-3 ties against FC Utrecht and Sparta Rotterdam alongside two 1-1 draws versus FC Groningen and NEC Nijmegen.

This trend of stalemates was abruptly disrupted in the recent IJssel derby, where Go Ahead Eagles conceded four goals, resulting in a 4-1 defeat against PEC Zwolle.

Soren Tengstedt has emerged as the leading scorer for Go Ahead Eagles this season, netting five times while playing in an advanced position within Oosting’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Oosting, who only took over at De Adelaarshorst in June 2026 under a two-year contract, succeeded Melvin Boel, who departed by mutual consent after a disappointing twelfth-place finish, falling short of the club’s aspirations following their first major trophy in 92 years.

This marks the third head coach for Go Ahead Eagles in three seasons; Oosting himself had been released from both FC Twente and Royal Antwerp FC in the previous 12 months before accepting this opportunity, with Friday’s encounter followed four days later by a KNVB Beker match against Koninklijke HFC.

Telstar are positioned in 16th place with a mere six points from nine matches, residing in the relegation play-off zone, just one point shy of 15th-placed PEC Zwolle.

Henk Brugge’s squad has only managed to net 10 goals in their nine league fixtures, tying with PEC Zwolle for the second-lowest goal tally in the league.

Telstar’s only win came in the opening weekend, followed by three draws and five losses over the subsequent matches.

Currently, they are experiencing an eight-match winless run, which was extended with a 2-2 draw against ADO Den Haag and a close 3-4 home loss to Feyenoord within a single week.

Brugge, appointed in May 2026 after serving as an assistant at SC Heerenveen since 2023, took over from Anthony Correia, who moved to FC Utrecht.

The early challenges Brugge faces include a difficult schedule, and facing a Go Ahead Eagles team that is six places and five points above them represents another hurdle in their struggle to avoid an immediate relegation battle.

Team News

Pim Saathof continues to be sidelined for Go Ahead Eagles due to a knee injury that has kept him out since May 2025, and he is not expected to return until around the start of the new year.

Eus Waayers is also out, having been absent since mid-September, which leaves Oosting with nearly a full squad to select from otherwise.

Rui Mendes has an unspecified injury ahead of Telstar’s trip to Deventer, making him the only unavailable player for Oosting.

This provides the head coach with nearly all his squad available, and Patrick Brouwer, a regular starter in their attacking line this season, is expected to keep his spot up front.

Go Ahead Eagles probable starting XI:

Bunch; Sampsted, Van Zwam, Kramer, James; Meulensteen, Linthorst; Tengstedt, Edvardsen, Suray; Sigurdarson

Telstar probable starting XI:

Koeman Jr; Peersman, Soualhia, Valk, Alders; Rossen, Owusu, Shenkman; Brouwer, Thorisson, Martha

Go Ahead Eagles’ home draws this season reflect a team that is still working to find consistency in matches rather than indicating a lack of quality. With Telstar’s low goal tally of just 10 in nine matches, there is a potential opportunity for Go Ahead Eagles to secure a much-needed win.

However, recent encounters serve as a warning: Go Ahead Eagles have not defeated Telstar in their last three matchups, suffering a 4-2 defeat in the previous season’s league game and a 2-1 loss in a KNVB Beker quarter-final as defending champions, alongside a 1-1 stalemate at De Adelaarshorst.