NEC Nijmegen vs Go Ahead Eagles: Hosts Seek Recovery After Heavy Defeats

NEC Nijmegen return to the Goffertstadion on Sunday carrying the weight of two heavy defeats and a growing list of questions, as Go Ahead Eagles arrive with goals, chaos and very little interest in keeping things tight.

Dick Schreuder’s side sit 10th in the Eredivisie with seven points from six games, but the table flatters the mood. Eight goals conceded without reply in their last two outings tell the real story. Go Ahead Eagles, ninth with nine points, come in on the back of two draws and a run of wild, end-to-end contests that rarely leave anyone bored.

NEC reeling after defensive collapse and Turin lesson

NEC’s slide started with a bruising 3-0 defeat away to Cambuur. Ilyes Hamache struck either side of half time, and as NEC pushed up in desperation, Iwan Henstra cashed in with a stoppage-time third. Same high line, same gaps, same punishment.

The reaction in Europe did not bring any comfort. A 5-0 Europa League loss at Juventus underlined the structural problems. On paper, NEC kept the ball well – 497 completed passes at 91% accuracy – but the numbers hid a blunt edge: just two shots on target from 11 attempts.

The pattern across both matches was stark. NEC held possession, squeezed the pitch, and were repeatedly ripped open in behind. Up front, long spells on the ball rarely turned into clear chances, never mind goals.

They have not scored in their last two games, a drought that has coincided with a fitness cloud over winger Clement Bischoff, one of their more reliable creative sparks earlier in the campaign. His situation remains unclear after the trip to Turin, with no firm confirmation from NEC on his availability.

Responsibility has again fallen on captain Tjaronn Chery. He remains their top scorer in the league with three goals and continues to carry much of the attacking burden. NEC have been awarded two penalties this season – more than any other side in the division – a reminder that they can force mistakes in the box when they do reach dangerous areas.

The bigger issue is what happens without the ball. Schreuder’s squad was stretched by a run into the Champions League qualifying rounds over the summer, and the accumulated minutes are starting to show. As September wears on, a thin group is being asked to play high-risk football without the legs to cover every gap.

Go Ahead Eagles bring goals – and gaps – of their own

Go Ahead Eagles travel with their own defensive headaches, but also with the league’s most in-form forward and a front line that refuses to die in games.

Last time out, they drew 1-1 at home to Groningen in a match they largely forced onto their terms. They slung in 35 crosses, kept asking questions and were finally rewarded when Soren Tengstedt struck in the 82nd minute. Even then, they could have taken all three points: Stefan Sigurdarson missed a clear late chance that would have completed the turnaround.

That miss felt familiar. Joseph Oosting’s team create heavily but do not always finish teams off. The numbers from recent weeks are wild. Before Groningen, they shared a 3-3 thriller at FC Utrecht. Before that, they were beaten 5-2 at AZ Alkmaar. In between came a more controlled 3-1 home win over ADO Den Haag.

Tengstedt sits at the heart of it all. With five goals and two assists, he is the Eredivisie’s outright leading scorer, drifting in from the right into central pockets that defenders struggle to track. His movement has repeatedly shredded back lines, and he will see NEC’s exposed high line as an invitation.

Behind him, Victor Edvardsen knits everything together. He created seven chances in the draw with Groningen alone, dropping into pockets, linking midfield and attack, and feeding runners around him. When Go Ahead Eagles click, it is usually Edvardsen who lights the fuse.

The downside is obvious. Oosting’s side have conceded 13 goals in six matches. They rarely shut anyone out and often have to simply outscore whoever is in front of them. Captain Joris Kramer anchors the back four ahead of goalkeeper Kjetil Haug, and his passing from deep has become a key escape route as they try to play through pressure instead of going long. But the spaces left when full-backs push on and midfielders surge forward are there for opponents to exploit.

Team news: NEC light on depth, Eagles largely settled

NEC’s options remain limited. Emre Mor is ruled out with a groin injury and is not expected back until mid-October. Deveron Fonville also stays sidelined with an ankle problem until early October.

There is concern over Ahmetcan Kaplan, who is managing a knee issue on a day-to-day basis, and Bischoff is also listed as a fitness doubt following the Juventus game, even if the club has not officially confirmed his status.

Schreuder could again turn to a setup built around Chery and Dusan Tadic in advanced roles, with a back three expected to hold the line:

NEC possible starting XI:
Polster; Kabar, Storm, Sandler; Tahaui, Geiger, Nejasmic, Thomas; Chery, Tadic; Sierhuis

Go Ahead Eagles’ situation is more stable. Oosting will once more be without Gerrit Nauber, who continues to manage a leg injury, while Pim Saathof remains out with a knee problem. Beyond that, the coach has a settled core to choose from and little reason to deviate from his attacking blueprint.

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting XI:
Haug; Sampsted, Dirksen, Kramer, James; Meulensteen, Linthorst; Tengstedt, Edvardsen, Suray; Sigurdarson

Prediction

NEC have enough quality in the final third, especially through Chery and Tadic, to worry a back line that has already leaked 13 goals. Home advantage should help, and a goal for the hosts feels likely.

But eight conceded in two games, with the same defensive flaws repeating, is a brutal warning sign against a side that thrives on space and chaos. Go Ahead Eagles almost always give you chances. They also almost always take theirs.

With Tengstedt in this kind of form and Edvardsen pulling strings between the lines, the visitors look to have the sharper edge in a game that could swing either way.

NEC 1-2 Go Ahead Eagles.