SC Heerenveen host SC Telstar at the Abe Lenstra Stadion on 13 September 2026 in Eredivisie Matchweek 6, with both clubs sitting in the lower half after five games: Heerenveen 12th on five points, Telstar one below on four. Heerenveen need the win to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three, whereas Telstar, newly promoted and without a win since their opening game, cannot afford another loss.
Robin Veldman took charge of Heerenveen in March 2025, replacing Robin van Persie via interim Henk Brugge, who has since taken the Telstar job after replacing Anthony Correia on 1 July 2026, making this his first competitive return to his former club and the first time the two managers have faced each other.
Heerenveen's last five have been one win, two draws and two defeats: a 1-0 over Twente in August, draws of 2-2 with Ajax and Willem II, a 0-2 loss to PEC Zwolle and a defeat to AZ around 6 September. Telstar, meanwhile, managed just one win from their opening five, losing three times and conceding nine in the process.
Neither side has injury concerns, with Heerenveen lining up Jacob Trenskow and Dylan Vente in attack and Ringo Meerveld and Dirk Proper in the middle, while Telstar go with Rui Mendes and Patrick Brouwer up front, Nokkvi Thorisson available from the bench and Ronald Koeman Jr. in goal.
Heerenveen set up in a 4-3-3 and build from the back, looking to get Trenskow in the channels early while Vente makes runs in behind. Meerveld and Proper are there to win the ball quickly and push the tempo when possession turns over and if Trenskow gets in early the home side will be difficult to live with.
The midfield battle is likely where the match is settled. If Proper and Meerveld cut off Telstar's forward passes, Mendes and Brouwer will find themselves isolated and should Telstar sit in a low block Heerenveen will need patience. The real danger for the hosts is overcommitting, because when the space opens up Mendes and Brouwer are exactly the type of runners to punish it while Thorisson offers a different option from the bench.
Heerenveen have historically had the better of this fixture, with top flight meetings producing a 3-0 and a 3-2 win for the home side, though those results have been spread thin by Telstar's long spells outside the Eredivisie.
Telstar carry a set piece threat and Heerenveen create similar dangers from wide free kicks and corners, where Vente is their likeliest aerial presence in the box.
Heerenveen 2-1 Telstar. Trenskow should cause Telstar's full backs problems early, opening space for Vente to finish. Mendes and Brouwer have enough between them to get one goal, probably on the break or from a set piece but Heerenveen should hold on at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
