In the entertaining first half, NEC got off to a better start. The visitors took the initiative and that resulted in the opening goal after ten minutes. A pass from Javier Vet was beautifully processed by Calvin Verdonk. With a beautiful volley he gave his team the lead: 0-1.
Groningen did not let himself be fooled and switched up a gear. Danny Buijs’s team became more and more menacing and the equalizer hung in the air, but many chances were destroyed. In the stoppage time of the first half it was still equal. Michael de Leeuw was set free in front of the keeper and the attacker knew what to do with it: 1-1.
Just like in the first half, Groningen also missed opportunities at the start of the second half. De Leeuw in particular could have done his team a great favor by making his second. At NEC, the first chance after the kick-off was again immediately hit. After a one-two with Vet, Mikkel Duelund pushed the ball from the edge of the box into the corner.
With twenty minutes left on the clock, the home team started a final offensive, but NEC goalkeeper Danny Vukovic managed to keep his goal clean with a number of great saves in the second half.
NAC through at the expense of PEC
Following NEC, NAC also qualified for the quarterfinals on Wednesday evening. At home, the club from Breda was too strong for PEC: 2-1. Kaj de Rooij became the match winner. Six minutes before the end, he shot his team into the last eight.
PEC had a dream start, Mustafa Saymak put his team in the lead after five minutes. Still, the visitors couldn’t enjoy the lead for long, because after less than fifteen minutes of football, the score was level again. Naoufal Bannis scored the equalizer. NAC goalie Nick Olij kept his team alive twice in the first half by stopping Gervane Kastaneer from scoring twice.
In the second company, both teams went after the equalizer. Fifteen minutes after the break Bannis was very close to his second of the evening and ten minutes later PEC could have taken the lead. Dion Malone, however, just managed to get Eliano Reijnders’ ball off the line.
The game then seemed to be heading for extra time for a long time, but six minutes before the end, De Rooij scored the decisive goal for NAC.