Telstar vs ADO The Hague – News and Probable Lineups

In an effort to secure their first win of the 2026-27 Eredivisie campaign, ADO Den Haag heads to BUKO Stadion on Sunday afternoon to meet Telstar.

On the other hand, the home side is eager to claim their initial victory since the first matchday to get their season back on track.

Match overview

Telstar quickly surged into a two-goal advantage within the first 24 minutes during their opening match against NEC Nijmegen back in August, looking to carry on their strong finish from the previous season, which concluded with three wins and a draw over their last four fixtures.

Henk Brugge’s team managed to win their first game 2-1 but have faced difficulties since, accumulating just two points from their subsequent six games, with their latest match ending in a 1-0 defeat to league leaders AZ Alkmaar before the break.

More concerning for De Witte Leeuwen is their failure to find the back of the net in four of those six matches – including the last three – leaving them with the weakest attacking record in the division, having netted only five goals ahead of the fixture with ADO.

A match against newly promoted rivals provides a significant opportunity for a morale-boosting win, and Telstar’s recent history in this matchup brings hope, remaining unbeaten (W4, D3) in their previous seven encounters since September 2023.

As one of seven teams still looking for a home league victory this season, Telstar needs to make their home advantage count before facing a challenging fixture against Feyenoord next weekend.

After clinching the Eerste Divisie title to mark their return to the top division, ADO Den Haag has found the transition challenging, securing just two points thus far, with their most recent being a 1-1 draw against fellow newcomers Cambuur.

Having already faced AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, and FC Twente, Robin Peter’s squad has encountered a tough stretch of matches. Nevertheless, ADO must not dwell on their misfortunes as they seek to revitalize their season and return to winning form.

Together with Willem II, De Ooievaars are among the two teams yet to secure a win in the Eredivisie this season, currently sitting in the bottom three, only avoiding the bottom spot on goal difference and trailing by three points from the safety zone. A win over Telstar could potentially advance them out of the relegation zone.

Den Haag suffered 10 losses in 17 matches during their relegation season in 2020-21, and with three defeats in four away fixtures this term, their struggles on the road must be addressed to prevent another drop to the second tier.

Both teams have struggled to begin their matches effectively: Telstar conceded the opening goal in five of their last six encounters, while Den Haag has done so in six of their last seven. Scoring first may be crucial for the visitors.

Team News

Islândia international Nokkvi Thorisson was absent in Telstar’s narrow defeat against AZ but is anticipated to return to the starting lineup on Sunday.

Jelani Seedorf is likely to be moved to the bench after not taking advantage of a rare opportunity to start at the AFAS Stadion last time out.

Cameron Peupion remains out due to a knee problem that has sidelined him since early August, while Luka Reischl is unavailable due to a groin injury.

Jalen Hawkins (hamstring) and Nigel Thomas (shoulder) were both forced off due to injuries against Cambuur and are not expected to recover in time for this weekend.

Alejandro Pozo and Mylian Jimenez round out Den Haag’s list of unavailable players, although the former is getting closer to returning to action.

Telstar probable starting XI:

Koeman Jr; Falcon, Soualhia, Peersman; Alders, Rossen, Owusu, Hardeveld; Mendes, Brouwer; Thorisson

ADO Den Haag probable starting XI:

Nikiema; Hokke, Jensen-Abbew, Mulder, Raterink; Hawkins, Sin, Kilo, Van Mieghem; Barany, Rottier

Telstar and ADO Den Haag both rank within the bottom four for various attacking statistics, indicating a likelihood of a low-scoring match.

Nevertheless, we favor the home side to clinch the victory and deepen the visiting team’s plight.