Telstar host ADO Den Haag at the BUKO Stadion on 11 October 2026 in what amounts to a relegation six pointer. Telstar sit 13th with five points from seven matches, while ADO sit bottom in 17th with just two, still waiting for their first win since returning to the Eredivisie. The winner moves clear of the drop zone, the loser faces a coach under very real pressure. ADO arrive on a seven game winless run that has started to look structural rather than circumstantial and Telstar have taken just one point from their last five.
Henk Brugge took charge of Telstar on 18 May 2026, replacing Anthony Correia, while Robin Peter has been at ADO since summer 2025, making this their first competitive meeting, with any tactical clues coming from how each coach has set up his side through the early weeks of the season.
Telstar's last five results read LDLDL and the pattern is clear: plenty of spells in the game but nothing to show for them. Their most recent outing was a narrow defeat to AZ Alkmaar in early October. ADO's sequence is LDLLD, with a 1-1 draw against Cambuur the latest entry and their attack has produced almost nothing across those five games. Telstar's numbers suggest they have created considerably more than ADO in that stretch.
Telstar expect Nokkvi Thorisson back after he missed the AZ Alkmaar defeat, though he is still listed as a doubt and there are no other confirmed absences for the home side. ADO are without Alejandro Pozo and Mylian Jimenez, a double blow that strips them of defensive and midfield cover they can barely spare this early in a difficult season.
Telstar line up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, with Rui Mendes and Patrick Brouwer as the main outlets wide. Thorisson's return matters because Telstar have been blunter without him and his presence gives the attack a reference point it has lacked. Ronald Koeman Jr. anchors the backline and has already saved a penalty this season. ADO defend deep and look to counter, though losing Pozo and Jimenez makes that harder to execute, particularly in midfield where Juho Kilo will cover both roles. Evan Rottier, Yannick Eduardo and Nigel Thomas need to conjure chances from minimal possession and ADO's inability to do that consistently has cost them all season.
Telstar are unbeaten in their last six meetings with ADO Den Haag and have won the last two Eredivisie encounters, including 2-0 and 1-0 victories in May 2025. Games between these sides have tended to be tight and low scoring, averaging around two goals per game.
Thorisson's return adds another option from dead balls and ADO have looked shaky from set pieces since returning to the top flight, with Pozo and Jimenez now unavailable to help defend them.
Telstar 2-0 ADO Den Haag. Telstar's head to head dominance and Thorisson's return give the hosts a credible route to three points but the real case rests on ADO's inability to score. Without Pozo and Jimenez, they are asking Rottier, Eduardo and Thomas to produce something from almost nothing on the counter. With ADO managing just two points in seven games and their attack stripped of its natural options, a clean sheet for Telstar is the likeliest outcome and 2-0 the most probable result.
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?.
