NAC Breda lost the first game in the semi-finals of the play-offs 2-1 against FC Emmen. Coach Peter Hyballa’s team was much weaker than the premier divisionist who is fighting for retention in the top division.
The return match is Saturday in Emmen. The winner will compete in the final against the winner of the match between Almere City and VVV-Venlo.
Emmen put pressure on early in the first half and took the lead through Lorenzo Burnet. Fifteen minutes later it even became 0-2 for Emmen. With a free kick from Mark Diemers, goalkeeper Pepijn van de Merbel, who replaced the suspended Roy Kortsmit, didn’t get far enough from the goal. Ole Romeny hit the target.
NAC looked for a hit in the second half, but really great opportunities failed to materialize. Emmen also failed to finish chances for a third goal. In the extra time, NAC kept the chances of promotion alive because substitute Aimé Omgba shot a falling ball hard in which the ball still changed direction via a defender.
NAC won the semi-finals of the play-offs two years ago on penalties against Emmen. That meant relegation for the club from Drenthe. Two years later, the clubs face each other again, but this time over two games.