Report: Matt Miazga expected to start for Vitesse in Dutch Cup final

Matt Miazga was last seen on the field for Vitesse on April 15, when injury forced him out of the team's 1-0 loss to Excelsior. Since then, Vitesse has lost again - 2-0, at home to Feyenoord on April 23. But Eredivisie is not the club's priority at the moment: it has a Dutch Cup final to focus on.

Miazga's injury was not regarded as severe and it was expected he would be fit again in time for the Cup final. De Gelderlander reports Miazga is both fit and expected to start the match against AZ on April 30.

Vitesse has never won the Dutch Cup. It has been to the final on three occasions, most recently in 1990. AZ has won the trophy four times, most recently in 2013 - and has lost just one of the five finals it has contested.

Both head coaches have insisted the final has no favorite, but there is perhaps more pressure on Vitesse. While AZ has Eredivisie and the Cup in the last 10 years, Vitesse has not won a major title in its history - a history that recently ticked into 125th year.

Miazga has appeared in all five of Vitesse's Cup games to date this season, starting three and scoring his first (and only) goal for the club in the team's 4-0 win over Jodan Boys in the Round of 16.

He started and played the full 90 minutes in Vitesse's 2-1 semifinal win over Sparta in Rotterdam.

Miazga told De Gelderlander he was looking forward to the Cup final, likening the experience to the MLS playoffs which he played in with the New York Red Bulls.

Vitesse kicks off against AZ in the Dutch Cup final on Sunday, April 30, at 12:00 pm, Eastern.