Preview: SBV Excelsior vs. Vitesse - prediction, team news, lineups

Preview: SBV Excelsior vs. Vitesse - prediction, team news, lineups
SBV Excelsior and Vitesse kick off round two of the 2022/23 Eredivisie season with a meeting at the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion on Friday evening. The hosts will be looking to pick up where they left off following an opening-day victory while the away side seek a quick response to last weekend's defeat. © Reuters Vitesse were left red-faced in their heavyweight season-opener against Feyenoord at the GelreDome on Sunday as they suffered a 5-2 thrashing.
Thomas Letsch 's men broke the deadlock through Million Manhoef before goals from Patrik Walemark and Danilo turned the game on its head after which Nikolas Baden Frederiksen levelled matters at 2-2, only for Javairo Dilrosun , Danilo and Lutsharel Geertruida to net in the final half-hour. As a result, Geel en Zwart are currently bottom but one in the league table and will now be looking to bounce back in their upcoming fixture. Awaiting the Arnhem-based club next is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams as the most recent six meetings have yielded three wins apiece.
Having failed to win any of their last four involvements away from home, Friday's visitors will need to get going on the road as soon as possible. Excelsior got their league campaign underway with a bang courtesy of a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cambuur at the Cambuur Stadion on Saturday. Marinus Dijkhuizen 's men got the job done in the first half as goals from Marouan Azarkan and Julian Baas secured a well-deserved three points in Leeuwarden.
The Kralingers are fourth in the Eredivisie standings at the moment and could not have asked for a better start to life in the Dutch top-flight. Unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 home games, Friday's hosts now go in search of another positive result to keep their active run of competitive matches without defeat going stretching back to April. First-choice goalkeeper Markus Schubert remains sidelined for this one, meaning that Jeroen Houwen is set to retain his place between the sticks.
Million Manhoef was involved in both of his side's two goals albeit in defeat last time out and he will be looking to deliver the goods once again. Excelsior's Nikolas Agrafiotis is expected to miss Friday's contest due to a knock which has seen him miss each of the last six matches. Twenty-eight-year-old Michael Chacon will also be unavailable for the hosts here as he serves the second of a three-game suspension.
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup: Van Gassel; Tjoe, El Yaakoubi, Nieuwpoort, Horemans; Azarkan, Baas, Eijgenraam, Goudmijn; Driouech, Kharchouch Vitesse possible starting lineup: Houwen; Cornelisse, Ferro, Meulensteen, Arcus, Wittek; Manhoef, Domgjoni, Tronstad, Bero; Frederiksen Vitesse will be keen to make up for a disappointing defeat last time out but they will be going up against an Excelsior side who have proven themselves to be a tough nut to crack in front of their fans. We are tipping the teams to cancel each other out and settle for a point apiece in the end. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .
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