Pain and Panic: Heracles and NAC Breda set for Eredivisie six pointer | OneFootball

This weekend NAC Breda and Heracles will meet in Almelo in an old fashioned relegation six pointer. While Heracles started the Eredivisie season poorly, they did have a brief revival period after bas Sibum was sacked. Hendrie Kruezen won three of his four games, but under his replacement Ernest Faber the side have lost six of their last eight games. They lie second bottom, just ahead of NAC Breda. Carl Hoefken’s side returned to the Eredivisie last season and finished in 15th. This season, things have been torrid for the side and they sit bottom with just 16 points from 22 games.

FC Volendam occupy the spot just above the relegation threatened sides and have 21 points. For both NAC and Heracles, this gap to safety makes their clash this weekend a hugely important moment in their respective seasons. With 11 games to go after this weekend, there is clearly still plenty of time for both sides. Yet the panic might set in if they lose to a relegation rival. Both will have been eyeing this game as the perfect chance to begin to turn things around.

The biggest problem Heracles have is that they lost their goal scoring hero Jizz Hornkamp in January. The striker left for AZ and took his 10 goals with him. Luka Kulenovic has done well with five goals in the Eredivisie, and if he can match the 10 he scored in 27 games last season that could really help the side. Australian midfielder Ajdin Hrustic leads the side with six assists and has been one positive from last summer, having joined on a free from Italian side Salernitana. This is Hrustic’s second spell with Heracles.

NAC have only scored 23 goals this season, the lowest in the league. Top scorer Sydney van Hooijdonk left in January having scored five goals, although he hadn’t been in the clubs plans for some time. The side have added experience in Denis Odoi and Andre Ayew, with Amine Alama also joining as a striking reinforcement on loan from Reims. Hoefkens’ side haven’t won a game since November the 1st, when they beat Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 at home. However, one of their few wins this season did come against Saturday’s opposition, with a 2-1 home win over Heracles.

Just a month later, the sides met again in the KNVB Cup, with Heracles winning 4-1 in Breda. Time is running out for both sides, and a draw on Saturday doesn’t suit either side. The psychological blow the winning side could inflict on the other also makes this one of the games to watch in the Eredivisie this weekend.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson