N.E.C. Nijmegen face Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie on Sunday evening in a match key for ending a winless run. The fixture at Stadion de Goffert kicks off at 20:00 local time and is the ninth round of the league season for the Nijmegen side. It is the immediate next task following the 1-1 draw with Levski Sofia on Thursday 15 October.

The team is coming off that 1-1 draw with Levski Sofia in the Europa League on Thursday, in which Tjaronn Chery scored the equaliser in the 64th minute. That result extends a run of five matches without a victory, consisting of three draws and two defeats. The recent form reads DDDLL, with draws against Ajax and Go Ahead Eagles and heavy away losses to Juventus and Cambuur. The precise sequence consists of a 1-1 draw with Ajax on 10 October, a 1-1 draw with Go Ahead Eagles, a 5-0 defeat at Juventus, a 3-0 defeat at Cambuur, and a 2-2 draw with Excelsior. Top scorer Tjaronn Chery, who netted his fourth goal of the season against Levski, remains a key attacking outlet. He is the club's top scorer this season with four goals in seven appearances.

Team news and injuries

Several players are unavailable for the head coach. The injury list features five names: E. Mor, B. Nuytinck, P. Sandler, D. Tadic and A. Thomas. Their absence necessitates adjustments to the lineup. Against Levski Sofia, N.E.C. set up in a 3-4-3 formation with Crettaz in goal and a defence of Brás, Schuurs and Fonville.

The opposition

Fortuna Sittard arrive with mixed recent results, including a 1-1 draw with FC Twente. The Limburg side have their own absentees. Players such as I. Marquez, J. Dahlhaus, R. Bayram and Y. Oukili are missing the fixture. In their last match against Twente, Fortuna lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Branderhorst in goal.

The coming weeks are important for N.E.C.'s league campaign, and fans can view the full schedule. The team needs to turn draws into wins to climb the standings. The home match against Fortuna Sittard on Sunday 18 October is the immediate first step. A victory is urgently needed to reverse the negative trend of zero wins in the last five fixtures.