Best Odds: 7/4
Bookmaker:
Looking to finish off the job and punch their Conference League play-off final ticket, Twente will welcome Heerenveen to the De Grolsch Veste on Sunday afternoon.
Twente
Starting with the hosts, snatching what was a stunning last-gasp winner when they travelled to Heerenveen for their first-leg showdown in midweek, Twente are riding what has been a real wave of momentum of the past month. Now sat in pole position to punch their Conference League play-off final ticket, the mood in Ron Jans’ camp should be at a red-hot high. Signing off their Eredivisie campaign with a famous performance on May 28th as they stormed to a 3-1 romp at home against Dutch giants Ajax, the Reds have now won each of their last five straight meetings against top-flight opposition. Simply looking to finish off the job when they return to he De Grolsch Veste on Sunday afternoon, Twente have certainly found a major clinical edge in the final third. On a purple patch that is underlined by a 5-0 victory away at Waalwijk last month, Jans’ high-flying squad have notched 17 strikes on their five-match winning run.
Team News
Dealing with an extended ankle injury and not making a single appearance since the start of April, Twente will once again be unable to call upon midfielder Max Burns on Sunday afternoon.
Bagging that stunning last-gasp winner earlier in the week and now finding the net in each of his last three appearances on the spin, 21-year-old Manfred Ugalde will spearhead Jans’ attack here.
Heerenveen
As for the visitors, suffering last-gasp heartbreak at the Abe Lenstra in midweek, Heerenveen will know that they now face a real uphill struggle here. While Kees van Wonderen’s men might have signed off their Eredivisie campaign with a routine 2-0 victory at home against Go Ahead Eagles on May 28th, the Friesland-based outfit have shown some recent inconsistencies. Including a remarkable 4-0 drumming away at Sparta Rotterdam last month, De Superfriezen have recorded just a pair of wins from any of their last seven meetings against top-flight opposition. Hit with that 2-1 loss when they welcomed Twente to town a few days ago, Heerenveen should be concerned by what is a downbeat record against Sunday’s hosts. Mustering just one win from any of their previous seven appearances against their semi-final rivals a run that stems back to February 2020 van Wonderen’s side will know that they must plug their leaky defence.
Team News
Both dealing with respective long-term injury issues, Heerenveen will once again be without the duo of Joost van Aken and Sven van Beek on Sunday afternoon.
Despite now drawing a blank in each of his last four straight meetings against Eredivisie opposition, 23-year-old Sydney van Hooijdonk will lead Wonderen’s attack here. Settling for a spot on the bench in midweek, ex-Wolfsburg defender Jeffrey Bruma could make a full return.
Key Factors to Consider
