Excelsior Maassluis vs PSV Predictions

PSV maintained their 100% start to the new season with a fantastic 3-0 win over arch rivals Ajax at the weekend, and following such a result there are bound to be some changes to the starting lineup against Tweede Divisie side Excelsior Maassluis in the KNVB Beker on Wednesday. The hosts have had an indifferent start to the season and will be hoping to push on towards a possible play-off finish this season, with the overall aim being promotion to the second tier of Dutch football.

Last season PSV began their KNVB Beker journey against fifth tier amateur outfit SDC Putten, where two goals from Maher, one from Luckassen, and another from Lammers saw the Dutch giants win by four goals to nil. The likes of goalkeeper Zoet, German defender Schwaab, midfielders Pereiro and Hendrix, and forward Locadia all started that match, as PSV played a decent side against the Hoofdklasse side.

Pereiro was one of the players to score against Ajax at the weekend and was withdrawn in the seventieth minute, perhaps with the midweek KNVB Beker tie in mind. PSV’s number nine de Jong scored the second against Ajax and Mexican international Lozano netted the third, all before the half time break.

Obviously PSV won’t start the same team that destroyed Ajax in the first half, but if last seasons KNVB Beker First Round starting eleven is anything to go by, then their will be a mix of first and reserve team players on Wednesday, and the hosts are going to be in for a tough ninety minutes.

Excelsior Maassluis are a small team that have come from the amateur divisions to now feature regularly in the third tier of Dutch football, or the Tweede Divisie as it is known. In 2013 Excelsior won the Hoofdklasse and in 2016 earned their place in the Tweede Divisie by claiming the Topklasse title.

This season Excelsior Maassluis sit eighth out of a possible eighteen in the Tweede Divisie and at the weekend secured all three points at home to fellow mid table side Barendrecht. Maassluis striker Blij scored twice at the weekend and top scores in the league this season with four goals, and used to be on the books at Eredivisie side Excelsior.

The hosts stand little or no chance of getting a result against PSV on Wednesday, unless the visitors play a complete reserve side, which seems highly unlikely. PSV were knocked out of the KNVB Beker at the quarter-finals stage last season and haven’t lifted the trophy in any of the last six seasons, so it’s about time they went all the way and claimed their tenth KNVB Beker title.

We’re confident that PSV will win and that over 4.5 goals will be scored in the process, with the game ending 5-0 to the Eredivisie side. PSV have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, while over 4.5 goals have been scored in two of their last four matches. Excelsior Maassluis sit two divisions below PSV in the third tier of Dutch football, and PSV beat SDC Putten in the KNVB Beker First Round 4-0 last season.