- Head-to-head: NEC have won the last three head-to-head meetings between the sides, including a 2-0 victory at Excelsior five months ago.
- Player form: Tjaronn Chery (NEC Nijmegen) has scored three goals and assisted three more in three Eredivisie 2026-2027 matches.
- Away form: Excelsior Rotterdam have won their only away match of the Eredivisie 2026-2027 campaign, averaging 4.00 goals scored and 0.00 goals conceded per away match.
Chery can make Excelsior pay at De Goffert
NEC build-up
NEC Nijmegen will be keen to get back to winning ways on Tuesday when they host Excelsior Rotterdam at Stadion De Goffert. The hosts arrive in mixed form with three wins and two defeats in their last five matches in all competitions.
After a 3-0 defeat in UEFA Champions League Qualification at FK Bodo/Glimt, Dick Schreuder's team bounced back in style to beat FC Zwolle 3-1 away in the Eredivisie 2026-2027 last weekend.
Dusan Tadic has been pulling the strings for the Dutch side this season and his three assists in the last five games gives Schreuder a serious creative spark that Ruben den Uil doesn't possess in his ranks.
Excelsior form
Excelsior's early-season form has been excellent with four wins from their last five in all competitions, but their recent results have shown some bite.
A 4-0 away win at Cambuur was followed by a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to PSV and then a 2-1 victory at home to Sparta Rotterdam last weekend. Den Uil has made an excellent start to the campaign having taken over at De Kralingers in July 2024 and his compact pressing game has been highly effective at creating turnovers and the opportunity to spring fast counters.
Chery is the main man for NEC
NEC are the clear favorites at 1.4 for this game, with Excelsior 6.6 and the draw 4.85. It is true that Schreuder's side will probably have too much quality for Den Uil's men over the course of the game, but the visitors' good away record and pressing style makes this a live game and not a sure bet.
However, it also leaves them open to the counter attack and Excelsior's pressing game should ensure this is a tactical scrap rather than a walk in the park.
NEC average 4.0 goals scored at home to Excelsior across the last five meetings while the visitors average 2.0 goals per game away from home, so I'm backing Over 2.5 goals at 1.38 and Both Teams To Score at 1.5.
- Noah Naujoks has made a hot start to the season with two goals in one Eredivisie 2026-2027 appearance, while Nesto Groen has scored two of the club's six goals in the last five.
- But Tjaronn Chery is the danger man for the hosts, having scored three and assisted as many in three games.
- NEC have won the last three meetings between the clubs and their high line and counter-press should dominate the ball for long periods in this game.
