NAC takes beating from Jong Ajax, PEC makes no mistake at De Graafschap

NAC Breda took a heavy beating from Jong Ajax in the first division on Monday night. The first match of the fourth and final period was lost 6-2. Leaders PEC Zwolle made no mistake at De Graafschap, winning 1-0 and are now six points ahead of pursuer Heracles Almelo.

NAC, yearning for promotion after relegation in 2019, is far from assured of a spot in the playoffs for premier league soccer. The Breda players are first in the third period rankings. That period is already over, but Almere City (because Friday’s game against Jong FC Utrecht was cancelled due to snowfall) still has a game to catch up and can still pass NAC.

So a good start of the fourth period was more than welcome, but after half an hour of play NAC was already trailing 4-0 against Jong Ajax. The Amsterdam promising team had several players in the starting line-up who regularly play in Ajax 1.

For players like Youri Regeer, Kian Fitz-Jim, Lorenzo Lucca and Francisco Conceição, the Rat Verlegh turned out to be a playground: NAC was completely outplayed. The goals were by Donny Warmerdam, Amourricho van Axel Dongen, Youri Baas, Lucca and Conceição.

On behalf of the home team, Elias Omarsson and Jort van der Sande pulled back, but to no avail. In the closing stages, Regeer provided the final chord.

In the battle for the championship, PEC did good business with a narrow victory over De Graafschap. The Superboeren are in excellent form and won their last four league games, but getting a result against the Zwolle frontrunner was just not possible.

In large parts of the match PEC played soccer just a little easier than De Graafschap. Striker Lennart Thy put the visitors ahead after 15 minutes. The German calmly shot in, after he was sent away with a nice pass by Thomas van den Belt (0-1).

In the second half, De Graafschap got better and better into the game. A few times the team became dangerous, but no real big chances were created. PEC held on in the closing stages and took the points back to Zwolle.

The game between Almere City and VVV-Venlo, the number three on the league table, ended in a 3-1 win for the visitors from Limburg. In the first half Almere City was the stronger side and deservedly took the lead through Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp.

After halftime, the game tilted completely. Through Nick Venema (former Almere City) VVV equalized, after which Kees de Boer shot his team into the lead. De Boer’s goal was brilliant: the graceful approach around his own axis was downright Bergkampian.

Martijn Berden then fired in the 3-1. VVV-Venlo takes over third place from Almere City with the win.

ADO Den Haag played a 1-1 draw on a visit to FC Eindhoven. Dick Advocaat’s team, which has risen sharply in recent weeks, took the lead before halftime through an own goal by Jasper Dahlhaus. In the 76th minute Naoufal Bannis headed the equalizer in fine fashion.