Preview: Fortuna Sittard vs. Vitesse - prediction, team news, lineups

With their chances of qualifying for European football hanging by a thread, Fortuna Sittard prepare for the visit of Vitesse on Thursday.

The teams will be looking to get back to winning ways in next to no time following their respective defeats last time out.

Match preview

Vitesse were beaten in the Eredivisie for the first time since February on Sunday as Sparta Rotterdam triumphed in a 3-0 win at the Het Kasteel.

Second-half goals from Lennart Thy and Emanuel Emegha put the icing on the cake after Bryan Smeets opened the scoring in the first half.

That defeat has mathematically ruled out any chances of Thomas Letsch's men finishing above the third spot that they currently occupy.

Vitas also need two points from their final two games to ensure that they do not drop to fourth spot, and they will fancy their chances of getting the job done against a side that they have overcome in four of the last five meetings.

November's reverse fixture at the GelreDome was the most recent clash between the sides where Thursday's visitors picked up a 2-0 win.

Fortuna Sittard suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, bringing an end to their two-game winning streak.

Yanick van Osch gave away a first-half penalty which Albert Gudmundsson converted, and that was enough to decide the outcome of the tie.

Sjors Ultee's men are still alive in their quest for a top-half finish as well as European qualification with three points currently separating them from both targets.

The Fortunezen have enjoyed their best campaign since their promotion back in 2018, and securing either or both of the aforementioned goals would be some way to cap the season off.

Team News

Mickael Tirpan is expected to miss the final two games of Fortuna's season as he remains sidelined with a knee injury.

The trio of Zian Flemming, Lisandro Semedo and Sebastian Polter are all tied on nine league goals, and there are only two games left for either of them to make it into double figures.

Vitesse's Patrick Vroegh is ruled out of the clash due to a muscle problem which he sustained after coming on as a second-half substitute three weeks ago.

Jacob Rasmussen has served a three-game suspension for the red card he was shown in the visitors' KNVB-Beker final defeat to Ajax.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:
Velthuizen; Cox, Amiot, Angha, Rota; Hansson, Rienstra, Tekie, Semedo; Seuntjens, Flemming

Vitesse possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Wittek, Hajek, Bazoer, Doekhi, Oroz; Tannane, Bero, Bruns; Broja, Openda

We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-2 Vitesse

Despite having less to play for compared to their hosts, the visitors will want to sign off the current campaign in style as they set out for their penultimate fixture. We fancy them to secure a narrow victory in what should be an enthralling affair.