🏏 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:15 CEST
FC Utrecht
vs
Willem II
3-4-3 vs 4-2-3-1
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- A genuine six-pointer at the bottom of the table. Utrecht sit 15th on five points from seven games (1W-2D-4L, 11 scored, 24 conceded, -13), while Willem II prop up the division on two points (0W-2D-5L, 6 scored, 20 conceded, -14). With leaders Feyenoord already on 20 points from eight matches, the only thing at stake here is survival: just three points separate these two before their first meeting of the campaign.
- Utrecht's problem is obvious — 24 goals conceded in seven league games. They were beaten 1-6 at home by PSV on matchday four and 0-5 away at Feyenoord on matchday seven, and drew 3-3 twice, at home to Go Ahead Eagles (MD5) and away at Sparta Rotterdam (MD3). Their only win so far came 2-1 at Excelsior on matchday six, so tightening up at the back is the first order of business.
- Willem II are still waiting for a first win, with two draws and five defeats and only six goals scored in seven outings. They lost 0-3 at home to Excelsior on matchday five and 0-1 at home to sixth-placed Fortuna Sittard (14 points) on matchday seven. The encouraging night came on matchday six, when they dug out a 1-1 draw away at third-placed AZ Alkmaar, who have 19 points.
- Hidde ter Avest returns to a former club. The 29-year-old right-back came through a spell at Utrecht before establishing himself at Twente and later testing himself in England with Oxford United. His overlapping runs and crossing are among Willem II's main attacking outlets from deep, and in a young back line his experience is easily the most valuable asset on the pitch.
- Utrecht build from midfield around 32-year-old Joris van Overeem, an AZ academy graduate who made 116 appearances across four seasons for this club and also played abroad with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Alongside him is Norway international Marius Broholm, just 21, who was raised in the Rosenborg academy before joining Lille in 2025 — a left-footer who likes to cut inside and run at defenders.
- The forward line is led by French winger Yoann Cathline, 24, and Dani de Wit, 28. Cathline came through the Guingamp academy, moved on via Lorient and a loan at Almere City, and has represented France at U20 level; he attacks from the left and shoots off his stronger left foot. De Wit broke through at AZ Alkmaar after an Ajax upbringing and spent time in the Bundesliga with Bochum, bringing late runs into the box and a finisher's instinct.
- There is a striking contrast in stature in the Utrecht side. Greece international goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, 32 and 196cm, has Celtic and AEK Athens on his CV, and in front of him stands 198cm Belgian centre-back Matisse Didden, 25, a Genk academy product who dominates aerially. At left-back is 168cm Arthur Zagré, 25, a PSG youth graduate who passed through Monaco, Dijon and Excelsior before returning to Utrecht on a free transfer in the summer of 2026.
- Willem II's defence leans heavily on the AZ pipeline. Maxim Dekker, 22 and 190cm, is a left-footed centre-back from the AZ academy who is comfortable starting attacks with his passing, while 188cm Finn Stam, 23, arrived on loan from Jong AZ. Wide of them is Nathan Tjoe-A-On, 24, who has played for Heerenveen and Excelsior and sampled English football at Swansea City.
- The benches tell their own story. Willem II can call on Chidozie Obi-Martin, the 18-year-old Danish striker who arrived from Manchester United with a prolific youth-level scoring record, plus 34-year-old target man Thomas Verheydt (192cm, formerly of ADO Den Haag and Go Ahead Eagles). Utrecht hold back Ángel Alarcón, 22, a Barcelona B and Porto alumnus, and 193cm Croatian centre-back Jakov Medić, who made 65 appearances for St. Pauli.