Excelsior '31 host ADO Den Haag at Sportpark De Koerbelt in Rijssen on Tuesday, October 27, with kick-off scheduled for 17:45 local time. This KNVB Beker first-round tie brings together clubs from different divisions: Excelsior '31 compete in the Derde Divisie A, while ADO play in the Eredivisie. It is ADO’s first cup match of the season, but the hosts have already negotiated two qualifying rounds. Both sides enter the fixture after defeats on October 24, giving each a chance to respond quickly. Their recent results also make goals an important theme in this Excelsior '31 vs ADO Den Haag preview.

Excelsior '31 Recent Form and Key Stats

Excelsior '31 reached this stage by beating Harkemase Boys in the first qualifying round and AFC '34 in the second. Their latest encounter with Harkemase Boys brought a very different outcome: a 4-0 defeat on October 24. The turnaround from cup success to a heavy loss against the same opponent underlines why the hosts will be keen to produce a stronger performance against ADO.

Across their last five matches, Excelsior '31 have recorded three wins and two defeats, scoring an average of 2.4 goals and conceding 1.4 per game. Their KNVB Beker record stands at two wins from two matches, with averages of 2.5 goals scored and 1.5 conceded. Those figures show both the attacking output that has carried them through qualifying and the goals they have allowed along the way.

Kevin Peppels has supplied a notable share of that attacking threat. In his first 12 matches of the season, he registered nine goals and two assists. After the four-goal loss to Harkemase Boys, Excelsior '31 will need a more effective response at both ends of the pitch. Their recent five-match record offers encouragement, but this tie presents a different test against opposition from a higher division.

ADO Den Haag Recent Form and Key Stats

ADO Den Haag begin their KNVB Beker campaign following a 3-2 defeat to SC Heerenveen on October 24. ADO created several clear chances and scored twice, but Heerenveen converted three of their opportunities. The result left ADO with a loss despite an attacking display that produced chances and goals.

Nigel Thomas was a bright spot in that match. The 25-year-old winger came on in the second half and scored both of ADO’s goals. He now has three goals this season, level with Yannick Eduardo as the club’s joint leading scorer. Thomas’s contribution gives ADO a recent example of how quickly they can turn chances into goals, although the Heerenveen result also highlighted the cost of conceding at the other end.

ADO’s wider form is mixed. Their last five matches have produced one win, two draws and two defeats, with averages of 1.4 goals scored and 1.8 conceded. They have let in at least one goal in each of their last 13 matches, while each of their last 12 matches has featured over 1.5 total goals. These are match-wide scoring figures, not a claim that ADO scored twice in every game. Away from home, ADO have avoided trailing at half-time in 18 of their last 20 matches, a record that contrasts with their less convincing overall run.

Excelsior '31 vs ADO Den Haag Match Analysis

The difference in division gives this cup tie a clear backdrop, but the supplied form figures point to a contest that cannot be assessed on league status alone. Excelsior '31 have won three of their last five matches and have averaged more than two goals scored across that span. ADO have taken one win from their last five, yet created enough against Heerenveen to score twice. Neither side kept a clean sheet on October 24.

For the hosts, the question is whether the attacking production shown across their recent matches can continue against ADO after the setback against Harkemase Boys. Peppels’ nine-goal return over his first 12 appearances gives Excelsior '31 a documented source of goals. ADO, meanwhile, have Thomas’s two-goal display against Heerenveen to build on, but their run of 13 consecutive matches conceding at least once leaves room for the home side to make an impact.

The head-to-head record favours ADO Den Haag: Excelsior '31 have lost both recorded meetings, scoring an average of 1.0 goal and conceding 2.5. The most recent finished 2-3 on October 18, 2022. That result provides historical context rather than a guarantee about this match, particularly with both teams arriving off defeats. Taken together, the recent scoring averages, ADO’s long run without a clean sheet and the teams’ latest results make the total number of goals a central point of interest in this KNVB Beker meeting.

Excelsior '31 vs ADO Den Haag prediction from BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 71% probability.