🏏 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:00 CEST
Fortuna Sittard
vs
Cambuur
3-4-2-1 vs 4-3-3
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- The opening weekend pulled these two in opposite directions. Fortuna Sittard came away from Eindhoven with a 2-2 draw at PSV to sit 11th on one point, while Cambuur were taken apart 0-4 at home by Excelsior and sit 17th with a goal difference of -4. AZ Alkmaar already have six points from two games, and neither of these sides has a win yet.
- The shape battle is the obvious starting point: Fortuna's 3-4-2-1 against Cambuur's 4-3-3. Hubner, Van Ottele and Ivo Pinto make up the back three charged with handling Hamache, Vink and Henstra, while wing-backs Dahlhaus, a natural right-back, and Belgian defender Wylin will look to attack the space behind Cambuur full-backs Lucas Jetten and Morgan Costarelli.
- There is a stark aerial mismatch here. Fortuna lead the line with 21-year-old Zeefuik, a 197cm striker on loan from AZ Alkmaar whose game is built around headers and hold-up play. Cambuur's back four contains Jetten at 166cm and Costarelli at 170cm, which leaves 185cm Jamal Amofa to police the box whenever crosses and set pieces come in.
- Fortuna's two shadow strikers give them a clear edge in pedigree. Ihattaren, the 24-year-old left-footed attacking midfielder once labelled a prodigy in PSV's academy, has since passed through Juventus, Sampdoria, Ajax and RKC Waalwijk. Beside him, 26-year-old Romeny scored 11 goals in 33 Eredivisie appearances for Emmen and offers a 189cm focal point.
- Midfield is a study in contrasts. Fortuna pair Oukili, a 195cm, 88kg Moroccan holding midfielder who wins the ball through sheer reach, with 22-year-old academy graduate Brittijn, whose passing sets the tempo. Cambuur reply with 173cm Nicky Souren, 26, previously at MVV and Roda, plus 18-year-old Sami Bouhoudane and 21-year-old Rafik El Arguioui.
- Cambuur's line-up is remarkably young. Skye Vink, 20 and formerly of Jong Ajax, starts alongside 19-year-old Iwan Henstra in attack, with Bouhoudane just 18 in midfield. At the back, Ajax product Jetten is 19 and Ismaël Baouf, who came via Anderlecht II and Charleroi, is also 19. Amofa, 27, with spells at ADO Den Haag, Go Ahead Eagles and Botev Plovdiv, is the senior voice holding it together.
- Followers of Japanese football will recognise a name in the home defence. Fortuna centre-back Justin Quincy Hubner, 22, came through Wolverhampton Wanderers' academy and then played in J1 with Cerezo Osaka before taking Indonesian nationality in 2023 and making his international debut. At 187cm with real pace, he is comfortable stepping out to build play, and Romeny ahead of him is another Dutch-born Indonesia international.
- Ivo Pinto offers the opposite profile. The 36-year-old Portuguese right-back and Fortuna captain was schooled at FC Porto, won the Croatian league four times with Dinamo Zagreb and played Premier League football at Norwich City. Facing a Cambuur attack packed with teenagers, his crossing and veteran composure on the right of the back three could be decisive.
- The benches are worth watching too. Fortuna can turn to Michut, the 23-year-old left-footed Frenchman once called the 'new Verratti' in PSG's academy who arrived via Sunderland and Adana Demirspor, and 197cm German goalkeeper Reitmaier. Cambuur have 193cm Austrian forward Nicolas Binder, formerly of Austria Klagenfurt, as a late aerial option.