NAC did not succeed in giving the cup stunt against PEC Zwolle a good follow-up. In the league match against FC Emmen, the Pearl of the South lost 2-0. Both goals came within one minute.
The story of NAC is now known. In the cup top in the league flop. That also became painfully clear on Saturday afternoon in Emmen. Because despite the fact that Edwin de Graaf’s team had the necessary opportunities, she wasted the entire game in a suit and bitten sixty seconds.
FC Emmen’s 1-0 started with a slow kick from goalkeeper Nick Olij. The ball was intercepted by an Emmen-player who won a game against Danny Bakker. Dion Malone then barely put anything in the way of Reda Kharchouch, which in turn gave him plenty of time for a cross. He found the detached Jari Vlak who could slide the ball into an empty goal.
Almost immediately after the opening goal, things went wrong again at the back of NAC. The team from Emmen could easily combine after which Kharchouch shot over Olij with a beautiful bicycle kick. 2-0.
Same song
Two goals against within a minute is of course in no way justified. What was also striking was that no one at NAC really entered into a duel. There was no one who once threw the body into the fray or handed out a kick as a signal. Emmen was simply brighter.
The Drenthse number two of the Kitchen Champion Division was not that much better than De Graaf’s team. NAC even had two nice chances to take the lead. But the finishing left a lot to be desired, as is often the case this season. Also in the second half NAC was unable to utilize the necessary opportunities. Odysseus Velanas, Kaj de Rooij and Naoufal Bannis were close, but their shots were blocked or turned by Emmen goalkeeper Michael Brouwer.
Not winning the duels and the lack of scoring ability. These were the ingredients that prevented NAC from winning against Emmen on Saturday and, above all, have been playing a season without a chance for weeks.
Long season threatens for NAC
The team from Breda is now in an embarrassing tenth place. A place that, strangely enough, still entitles you to a place in the play-offs at the end of the season.
For the time being, no one in Breda will even think about this for a second. In the coming weeks, it will be about the takeover and possible departure of Thom Haye. The midfielder was suspended on Saturday afternoon and may have played his last game for NAC. There is interest from the Eredivisie and the transfer market is still open for 1.5 weeks.
NAC will resume the competition on February 4 with a home game against Roda JC. There is a good chance that it will again be supported by the public. But even with that help it will be a long season in Breda.