ADO Den Haag and SBV Excelsior will be looking to boost their chances of playing Eredivisie football next season when they square off in the first leg of their playoff semi-final on Wednesday.
While the home side have already come through one tie to reach this stage, Excelsior's 16th-placed finish in the top flight means that they need to fight further for their survival.
Match preview
You have to go all the way back to October for the last time Excelsior produced the same level of promising form that they have delivered of late.
Two 4-0 victories have been posted in their last five fixtures, overcoming FC Volendam and Heracles respectively, while they also drew 2-2 at Ajax.
Nevertheless, it still left Marinus Dijkhuizen's side requiring a positive result away at Feyenoord on Sunday, something which did not materialise.
Succumbing 4-0 at De Kuip led to Excelsior missing out on automatic survival courtesy of an inferior goal difference of five goals to RKC Waalwijk.
Dijkhuizen will be hopeful that losing to the second-placed side in Arne Slot's final game will not have a lingering effect, yet that will only become apparent on Wednesday.
Opponents ADO Den Haag may have finished in fifth place in the Eerste Divisie, but they only won two of their remaining 10 games of the regular campaign.
Those two results came against teams who finish 13th and 20th respectively, hardly putting Darije Kalezic's side in the best frame of mind ahead of the quarter-finals.
To their credit, though, ADO Den Haag were able to overcome De Graafschap in a thrilling manner, prevailing 3-2 in the first leg before playing out a 2-2 draw in the second.
At one stage, however, they were 5-2 to the good, and having conceded twice in the closing stages of the second leg to almost be taken to extra time, it remains to be seen how they will react to that near-calamity.
Team News
ADO Den Haag will be forced into at least one change with Amir Absalem being sent off for two yellow cards last time out.
Henri Koudossou may be used on the opposite flank at left wing-back in his place, but Kalezic may be prepared to stick with the remainder of his team with De Graafschap initially gaining confidence when substitutions were made in that match.
Meanwhile, Noah Naujoks may come into the Excelsior starting lineup due to Derensili Sanches Fernandes's early withdrawal at Feyenoord.
However, Couhaib Driouech could also be brought into the side, potentially leaving Naujoks to settle for a place among the replacements.
The rest of the side may remain the same with Dijkhuizen potentially against making too many changes for a game of this magnitude.
ADO Den Haag possible starting lineup:
Marsman; Esajas, Waem, Siereveld; Asante, Vlak, Schalk, Vigen, Koudossou; Van Mieghem, Veerman
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:
Van Gassel; Benita, Horemans, Yaakoubi, Zagre; Goudmijn, Baas; Driouech, Duijvestijn, Lamprou; Parrott
We say: ADO Den Haag 1-3 SBV Excelsior
Although ADO Den Haag will have the belief that they can overcome their higher-ranked opponents, conceding four times in the quarters does not bode well. With that in mind, we are backing the visitors to show their superior class and come through with an away victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
