NEC is on a roll against FC Utrecht – Klaassen starts on the bench at Ajax

Victor Jensen is played in by goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas and loses the ball to Tannane. Via Mattsson it comes to the feet of Dimata, who scores his second goal of the afternoon.

Excellent attack by NEC, which takes the lead through Landry Dimata. Tannane has a big part in the goal with a clever action and ditto assist.

NEC-UTR | 29′ Free kick Tannane

Oussama Tannane tries from a free kick from far away, but Utrecht goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas taps the ball wide.

NEC-UTR | 19′ Tavsan pops over

Elayis Tavsan sets up an attack on behalf of NEC, combines with Landry Dimata, gets the ball back and then shoots over. Again threat from the home team.

NEC-UTR | Cillessen kept the zero earlier this season

Earlier this season, Jasper Cillessen kept the zero against FC Utrecht (0-0). Cillessen previously conceded 11 Eredivisie goals in matches against Utrecht. Only against PSV (16) and AZ (13) did he concede more goals.

NEC-UTR | Hendriks makes debut with Utrecht

Defender Ramon Hendriks is making his debut for FC Utrecht after a serious knee injury. The 21-year-old Hendriks, transferred from Feyenoord in the summer, will start against NEC. The youth international recently played for Jong FC Utrecht in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

FC Utrecht rented Hendriks for one year from Feyenoord, with an option to buy. Shortly after his presentation, it appeared that the defender had suffered a torn cruciate ligament. Hendriks, who played eight games for Feyenoord in the premier league last season, had to undergo months of rehabilitation.

Coach Michael Silberbauer has now given the recovered defender a starting place against NEC. Zakaria Labyad will also start again. Bas Dost and Taylor Booth, who were missing for a while due to injuries, are on the bench.

We started the duel in Nijmegen, between the numbers 10 and 7 of the premier league. The difference between the two teams is currently seven points.

Branthwaite: ‘It gives enormous confidence that someone like Brands believes in you’

From substitute with occasional playing minutes, to being in the starting line-up every game. The 20-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite temporarily swapped Everton for PSV at the beginning of this season and has since surprised friend and foe as a regular.

“It’s already snowed twice since I’ve been here. It just doesn’t stop…,” remarked the tall English central defender earlier this week, now in and dry. It seems to be a true winter wonderland at De Herdgang sports complex, where players and staff ended up in a real snowball fight.

NEC’er Sandler on training at Manchester City: ‘Needed three-hour siesta after that’

Playing soccer with Kevin De Bruyne and getting training from Pep Guardiola. It’s a fantasy for many players. For Philippe Sandler, it was reality for a time. “I got along well with the guys there,” says the 26-year-old NEC defender.

That Sandler would one day be under contract to Manchester City, one of the best soccer clubs in the world, he himself never saw coming. The Amsterdam native went through Ajax’s entire youth training, but according to himself was never seen as the great talent.

And that is perhaps not so strange in a lineup that included Donny van de Beek, Steven Bergwijn, Vaclav Cerny and Abdelhak Nouri. “They were, like Léon Bergsma (now SC Cambuur), Ezra Walian (Persib Bandung) and Vince Gino Dekker (SV Spakenburg) very talented. Guys like Ramiz Zerrouki, Noussair Mazraoui and I were good enough for Ajax, but not decisive.”