🏏 Sun, 10 May 2026 16:45 CEST
Telstar
vs
Heracles Almelo
3-4-2-1 vs 4-2-3-1
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- A direct clash in the relegation zone. 15th-placed Telstar (31 points) face bottom side Heracles (19 points). Telstar are three points behind 14th-placed Excelsior (34 points) in the relegation play-off place but three points clear of 16th-placed FC Volendam (28 points). Heracles are six points behind even 17th-placed NAC Breda (25 points), with automatic relegation all but confirmed.
- There is a big difference in form between the two teams. Telstar show signs of a slight recovery with two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five, and pulled off a major upset beating champions PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in Matchday 28. Heracles, by contrast, are in a serious slump with one draw and four defeats in their last five, having lost 0-1 away at PEC Zwolle in the previous round.
- In the away fixture in Matchday 15, the two sides drew 1-1, leaving the head-to-head even this season. But given the current standings and form, Telstar are at an overwhelming advantage. Telstar's home record is four wins, six draws and six losses, and Heracles' away record is one win, two draws and 11 losses, making an away win extremely difficult.
- Heracles' defensive collapse is serious, with 78 goals conceded in 31 games, comfortably the league's worst. The figure of 2.52 conceded per game is exceptionally poor even by Eredivisie standards. Telstar, by contrast, have scored 44 and conceded 54, slightly unbalanced but nothing like Heracles' collapse. In this match the difference in defence rather than attack looks set to decide it.
- Heracles have a game in hand, but overturning a six-point gap in the remaining two games is not realistic. A record of five wins, four draws and 22 losses tells the story of a lack of quality across the season. Telstar, meanwhile, want to win this match and cut the gap to 14th-placed Excelsior to avoid the relegation play-off.
- The psychological pressure of the relegation battle could well affect the match. Telstar put up a good fight in a 1-1 draw away at NEC Nijmegen in the previous round and are regaining confidence. Heracles, by contrast, are on a four-game losing run with low morale. This is a match in which Telstar, roared on by their home crowd, want to take three points for sure against the bottom side.