NEC win spectacular weekend finale and push FC Utrecht deeper into crisis
NEC beat FC Utrecht 3-2 at Stadion Galgenwaard on Sunday evening, holding on as the hosts fought back twice. The win ends an eight-match league run without a victory for the Nijmegen side and adds to the concerns of FC Utrecht coach Anthony Correia.
For FC Utrecht, Correia made four changes, with Vasilis Barkas, Per Kloosterboer, Artem Stepanov and Ángel Alarcón all starting. Kloosterboer got the nod over Arthur Zagré at left-back, while Oualid Agougil began on the bench and Marius Broholm played as a number ten. NEC started Dušan Tadic, Mitchel Bakker and Gabriel Brás, along with Deveron Fonville, who had returned from injury.
FC Utrecht put the visitors under pressure from the start. Yoann Cathline had a shooting chance after just three minutes, but his effort went straight into Gonzalo Crettaz's hands. After 20 minutes, the forward went down in the penalty area, but referee Erwin Blank saw no reason to award a penalty.
Stepanov hit the side-netting after 25 minutes as the hosts continued to threaten. NEC were more clinical. Kevin Kers headed in a cross in the 34th minute to make it 0-1, and Tadic doubled the lead four minutes later, giving the Nijmegen side a comfortable margin at the break.
After the break, FC Utrecht pushed hard for a goal back, and Dani de Wit soon headed into the side-netting. Alarcón broke through in the 56th minute and Cathline tapped in to make it 1-2. Galgenwaard's celebrations did not last long.
NEC struck again just two minutes later, Tadić scoring his second to make it 1-3. Correia immediately brought on Nordin Amrabat, Adrian Blake and Agougil. The changes gave Utrecht fresh energy, and De Wit headed in to make it 2-3 in the 64th minute.
With FC Utrecht chasing an equaliser, NEC goalkeeper Crettaz came a long way off his line in the 68th minute, but Matisse Didden shot wide of the empty goal. Ten minutes later, Didden went close again, only for Crettaz to deny him with a fine save.
Blake also had an excellent chance, but Crettaz thwarted the substitute. Agougil then sent a shot just over.
Having gone eight league matches without a win, NEC held on and climbed above their opponents into 11th. FC Utrecht are 14th after another huge setback for Correia's side.
