Excelsior vs Fortuna Sittard Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Excelsior will be hoping to build upon last seasons eleventh place finish in the Eredivisie and perhaps even challenge for a position in the top half of the table this time around. The opening weekends set of fixtures has been kind to Excelsior as they prepare to play host to newly promoted Fortuna Sittard. The visitors finished as runners-up in the second tier of Dutch football last season and make their return to the Eredivisie after a 16-year absence.

Excelsior have made some money over the summer from player sales, but are yet to spend any of it on new recruits. Instead Saturday’s hosts have brought in five free transfers and one loan signing during the summer transfer window with two goalkeepers, Stevens and de Fockert joining the club, Kotte making the move from Vitesse, full back van der Meer signing from Utrecht, winger Mahmudov from FC Dordrecht, and young wide man Mikael Anderson coming in a loan from Midtjylland in Denmark.

Centre forward Mike van Duinen scored just four goals in all competitions for Excelsior last season, but Zwolle paid £675k for his services this summer. A whole host of players have left the club on free transfers this summer, but just two remain in the Eredivisie. Goalkeeper Mike Havekotte has joined Den Haag, while full back Khalid Karami is now on the books at Vitesse.

It’s been a funny old pre-season for Excelsior, making it hard to know just how they will compete this time around. PEC Zwolle hammered Excelsior 5-0 and Excelsior could only follow that disappointment up with a goalless draw against Go Ahead Eagles. However, wins over Breda and AZ Alkmaar have seen frowns turned upside-down heading into the new season, but the real test begins this weekend against Fortuna Sittard.

Following their second place finish in the Eerste Divisie, Fortuna Sittard have failed to win in pre-season and look as if they could struggle with the step up to the Eredivisie. Antalyaspor beat the newly promoted side 1-0 and then a 1-1 draw with Göztepe followed, but up against Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen another defeat without a goal followed as the Germans won 2-0.

Diemers has been brought in on a free transfer from De Graafschap to strengthen the midfield, while goalkeeper Alexei Coselev arrives from Romania, and full back Alessandro Ciranni adds some much needed pace to the side. 21-year old Reading striker Andrija Novakovich joins on-loan, while Kourouma and Saddiki have both left on free transfers.

New;y promoted teams often cause an upset on the opening day of the season, as more established clubs take them for granted and don’t put in enough pre-match planning and research. Fortuna Sittard will be hoping that Saturday proves to be one of those days, and after keeping the majority of their squad together and only adding in a couple of positions their team spirit and understanding on the pitch is bound to be strong.

We’re backing this game to end with under 2.5 goals scored and for Fortuna Sittard to pick up a points on the road via a 0-0 draw. All of Fortuna Sittard’s last six matches have produced under 2.5 goals and the visitors have kept three clean sheets in their last six matches. Excelsior failed to score in two of their pre-season friendlies, one of which ended in a 0-0 draw, while two of the last three times that Excelsior have hosted Fortuna Sittard under 2.5 goals were scored.