NEC show resilience and fight back impressively against FC Groningen after half-time

NEC and FC Groningen played out an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday. Brynjólfur Willumsson's clinical first-half finishing put Groningen 0-2 up at the break, but NEC fought back after half-time. Clement Bischof and Noé Lebreton scored to make it 2-2.

With chances at both ends in the first half, Groningen made theirs count. After ten minutes, the visitors opened the scoring from a corner. Marco Rente headed the ball on to the far post, where the completely unmarked Willumsson headed home: 0-1.

Dick Schreuder had watched his side claim an impressive 2-4 win away to Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday, making the setback all the more frustrating. NEC had chances to level, but Groningen cleared efforts from Bischof and Bryan Linssen off the goal line. Thom van Bergen scored on the ensuing counter-attack, only for the officials to rule out his goal for offside.

Soon afterwards, Groningen doubled their lead. Ahmetcan Kaplan misjudged a cross from Van Bergen, and Willumsson took advantage. The Turk protested to the officials about an alleged foul by Willumsson, but to no avail.

Schreuder made changes at half-time and again ten minutes into the second half. A minute later, NEC pulled a goal back. After a good intervention by Darko Nejasmic, Bischof broke away, cut inside and fired into the far corner: 1-2.

Dropping deeper and deeper, Groningen tried to preserve their lead. Dick Lukkien's side could not hold on, however. Lebreton capitalised on poor defending by the visitors in the 70th minute to make it 2-2.

Both sides went in search of all three points in the closing stages. Lebreton had a chance for NEC, but the best opportunity fell to Groningen. Pelle Clement could not quite get enough on the ball.