NAC Breda lost the last game before the winter break 2-1 to Go Ahead Eagles. The club is having a top season so far and started the match in Deventer, just like the opponent, with 22 points. NAC led after a lively first half on both sides, but fell back after halftime.
NAC threatened to lose captain Jan Van den Bergh early on. The defender had to be treated on his nose after a collision with Enric Llansana.
Once recovered, the fans from Breda who traveled with them saw how their team took the lead in the tenth minute.
First hit
After a bad kick by goalkeeper Luca Plogmann, the ball ended up via Van den Bergh at the Portuguese Saná Fernandes. With a beautiful shot into the long corner, the loanee from Lazio scored his first goal in the Eredivisie: 0-1.
The best chances then were for Go Ahead. Oliver Edvardsen shot just wide from close range. The same Norwegian bumped into NAC goalkeeper Daniel Bielica shortly before halftime.
Changed direction with head
Even after the break, the most danger was at the Breda goal. Terence Kongolo cleared Mats Deijl’s effort off the line. Bielica was also unable to withstand a shot from close range by Victor Edvardsen in the 56th minute: 1-1.
After the yellow-black wall was broken, the score was 2-1 not much later. Now Bielica had no chance after a shot from Oliver Edvardsen was slightly deflected by Van den Bergh’s head.
In the final phase, NAC had a few more chances to level the score, but the ball would no longer go in.
Successful first half of the season
All in all, NAC can look back on a successful first half of the season, in which 22 points were collected above everyone’s expectations.
What position the club from Breda ultimately holds during the holidays depends on sc Heerenveen and Willem II. They will come into action later in this round.
After the winter break, NAC will resume the competition with a home match. On January 12, Robin van Persie will visit the Rat Verlegh Stadium as coach with SC Heerenveen.