If this match were a movie, it wouldn’t be your standard Marvel superhero slugfest—you know, Thor hammering Loki into next week with the fate of the universe in the balance. No, Hercules vs SC Genemuiden is more like Rocky versus Drago if Rocky forgot to train, and Drago had a decent record but just lost a fight and is suddenly doubting himself. You look at the league table and you see Hercules clinging to the bottom like Jack on the Titanic’s door, and Genemuiden eyeing the championship with all the hunger of Tony Soprano spotting an unguarded cannoli.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Hercules are in a funk so deep they might need a map and a Sherpa to find their way out. One point from six matches. Zero wins. Their last five games read like that montage in a disaster movie—one gut punch after another: 0-5, 1-2, 0-5, 1-3, 0-2. Their defense is leakier than a season of “Game of Thrones” spoilers. Offensively, they’ve managed about as much threat as a toddler in a pillow fight—averaging a tenth of a goal per game over their last 10. If you’re a Hercules fan, you’re watching games peeking through your fingers, hoping it ends quickly, like a horror flick gone wrong.

But here’s the thing—football doesn’t follow scripts. Sometimes, just when you think the underdog is roadkill, they find the magic. Think “The Mighty Ducks” or Leicester City’s title run. Every club’s got a game where they say, “This is where it started.” And if you’re in the relegation zone, staring up at the rest of the table, sometimes the only way forward is to channel your inner Rudy Ruettiger, ignore the noise, and play as if your footballing lives depend on it. Because… they do.

Now, Genemuiden: on paper, they should be strolling into Sportpark Voordorp like the bad guy in a heist movie who’s got everything planned out. Third in the table, unbeaten until the last round, clearly a team with actual goals (unlike Hercules, whose goals are as rare as a polite Real Madrid transfer rumor). But let’s pump the brakes. Their last outing? 0-1 loss at home to ROHDA Raalte. It’s that classic moment when the villain trips over the rug—reminding everyone that even the top dogs can slip. Dig a little deeper and you’ll see two wins, two losses, and a draw in their last five—solid, but not exactly invincible. Genemuiden needs to keep the pressure on the top; a slip here, and their title dreams start looking shaky.

Let’s talk key players, because every match has its would-be heroes and goats. For Genemuiden, watch for the ever-dangerous Sijmon Bolks. He’s got the kind of pace and guile that can turn defenders into traffic cones, and when he’s on song the whole team hums. If Hercules give him space, they may as well hand him the keys to Utrecht. And then there’s their midfield general—think a Derde Divisie version of Luka Modrić, minus the hair. If he controls the tempo, Hercules are in for another 90-minute therapy session.

Hercules, though? Well, it’s time for someone—anyone—to step up. Their main man last season, let’s call him “The Hope,” hasn’t scored in so long his jersey number is starting to look like his scoring average. But these are the fixtures where cult heroes are born—the hard-tackling midfielder who takes no prisoners, the backup striker who’s only famous for scoring once in 2017, the goalkeeper who puts in a “Die Hard”-level performance. Someone has to light the fuse. Maybe it’s a wonder goal against the run of play, maybe it’s a set piece that pings around the box and goes in off someone’s backside. It’s desperation time, and desperation breeds drama.

Tactically, this could get wild. Hercules will probably park the bus, the van, and whatever else they can find with wheels. Expect two defensive lines and a prayer, trying to frustrate Genemuiden and hope for a breakaway or a moment of magic. Genemuiden, meanwhile, will want to press high, force turnovers, and get the ball to their creative players early and often. If they score first, it could get ugly for Hercules—a sequel to the 0-5 horror shows they've suffered. But if Hercules somehow nick the first goal? Suddenly, Genemuiden are the ones with jitters, and the crowd at Voordorp finds its voice.

Here’s where the beauty of these matchups lies—there are no guarantees. Genemuiden are clear favorites, sure, but this is football, not FIFA on easy mode. Hercules have nothing to lose, which is dangerous. Expect a scrap. Expect tension. Expect the kind of match where the first tackle gets the crowd roaring. If Genemuiden want to stay in the title conversation, they have to show the composure of a “Moneyball” team in the playoffs—get in, do the job, don’t get cocky.

But if Hercules somehow pull off the unthinkable, this Saturday becomes the night they tell stories about for years—“I was there when Hercules finally won.” And if not, well, at least there’s the promise of drama and heartbreak—just another day in the beautiful game. Bring popcorn. Or maybe a stiff drink. Either way, you’ll want to be watching.