ADO Den Haag will travel to Philips Stadium on Saturday with a good feeling. Head coach Alfons Groenendijk's team took six points from its last two matches. Both away at FC Twente and at home against Roda JC Kerkrade were won 3-2. ADO has now climbed to a creditable eighth place in the Eredivisie.
Unbeaten against top three
ADO has proven to be a difficult team to beat lately for clubs from the traditional top three. In the most recent games against PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord, ADO have all drawn. It has to be said, though, that in all cases it was a home game. The team from The Hague has fared less well on visits to the top clubs. They have lost fifteen of their last seventeen matches and ADO have won just one.
Man in form
Nasser El Khayati is the man in form at the Capitals. The attacking midfielder is ADO's top scorer, scoring six goals and three assists in 14 appearances. The 28-year-old Rotterdam native played in PSV's youth training program in the 2007-2008 season. That El Khayati eventually ended up in the Eredivisie may be called surprising: three years ago he played his matches at Kozakken Boys in the Topklasse.
Falkenburg hit the mark against PSV
Another notable midfielder in Groenendijk's squad is Erik Falkenburg. Before the 29-year-old Leiden native settled in The Hague last summer, he already had six other premier league clubs to his name. However, Falkenburg made his debut at the highest level on behalf of Sparta against PSV. Subsequently, the midfielder had regular success against PSV with four goals.