NAC Breda enters the winter break at the bottom. The team of coach Carl Hoefkens lost 0-1 to Telstar on Saturday evening, which was in last place in the Eredivisie before this match. The defeat increases the pressure on the Belgian trainer.
Despite NAC’s disappointing performance, the Rat Verlegh Stadium was packed again for the match against Telstar, until then the number last. Before the kick-off there was an atmospheric campaign to celebrate 50 years of Evening NAC. The home team players felt the charged atmosphere and immediately went on the attack after kick-off.
NAC’s big problem this season is scoring. The team of coach Carl Hoefkens has only scored sixteen times, making them the least productive Eredivisie club. It was not the case that there were any chances to score against Telstar, because Telstar keeper Ronald Koeman Jr. hardly had to intervene before halftime. On the other hand, striker Milan Zonneveld was dangerous after more than half an hour with a shot on the fists of Breda goalie Daniel Bielica.
At half-time Hoefkens was dissatisfied and he brought three fresh forces with Enes Mahmutovic, Brahim Ghalidi and Mohamed Nassoh. Just like before half time, NAC immediately went full throttle in the hunt for a goal and in minute 53 they came close to a goal for the first time. Koeman responded alertly from a corner and prevented the 1-0.
It didn’t work out in terms of football at NAC and that caused frustration. There was that frustration among players, but referee Rob Dieperink was also nagged about even the smallest things.
Dissatisfied supporters
Halfway through the second half, the NAC supporters chanted Sydney van Hooijdonk’s name. The striker had to sit on the bench again and that is a sore leg for many supporters of the yellow and black. The grumbling increased even further when NAC escaped defeat after 69 minutes. Patrick Brouwer could only pass through Bielica, but the Telstar attacker shot just wide.
Brouwer did score in the 77th minute, by tapping the ball in behind his supporting leg after an attack. From that moment on, nothing worked at NAC, now with Van Hooijdonk on board, and self-confidence dropped to the lower limit.
In the Rat Verlegh Stadium, almost only Telstar’s away section could be heard in the final phase, where the fans celebrated the three points exuberantly. Afterwards there was a hellish flute concert from the home crowd. NAC has plenty of work to do to avoid relegation in 2026.