NAC is an early backlog in the home game against Go Ahead Eagles partly overwhelmed. Already after fifteen minutes Mats Deijl opened for the Deventer team. Only Max Balard managed to score: 1-1. This means that NAC, that such a good first half of the competition, had been waiting for a win for three months.
Beforehand, the question was whether Go Ahead would restrain itself, because the team plays the KNVB cup final against AZ on Easter Monday. Fans of the home club had already warned the guests in advance by hanging a huge banner with the text ‘Do you want to reach the final, or injured in the stands?’ It didn’t help for NAC, because it quickly became 0-1 and the Deventer subtopper was much better.
Daniel Bielica again stood under the bar near the yellow blacks. Last Sunday, the keeper had to take a look at the bench, because trainer Carl Hoefkens preferred Roy Korstmit. Bielica had to give in once. In the 53rd minute he was relieved when Max Balard tied. It was his first goal since his arrival, last year, to NAC. Almost 10 minutes later, the Australian midfielder was even close to the 2-1: the pole stood in the way of a second goal.
Go Ahead was pushed back after the break by a combative NAC. Yet there was also a phase that Bielica had to address his qualities three times within minutes to prevent a second Deventer goal. In the remainder of the second fascinating 45 minutes, however, there was no longer any scoring, although both teams did everything to achieve the winning goal.
A fuss had arisen fifteen minutes before the end. Mathis Suray, the attacker of Go Ahead, initially received red from referee Joey Kooij after a foul on Leo Greimi from NAC. After intervention by the VAR, the red card was converted into yellow. Suray’s trainer, Paul Simonis, was so smart to get him to the side to prevent him from receiving a second yellow card. Incidentally, captain Jan van den Bergh and Boy Kemper had already received yellow on NAC side.
NAC will only take action again on Thursday 24 April, against AZ. The question is whether the team of trainer Carl Hoefkens will be able to win for the first time since January 19 (2-1 against FC Twente). The draw this Saturday evening was the fifth in a row in its own Rat Verlegh Stadium.