A 2‑2 carousel that left both sets of fans clutching their scarves

NEC hosted Fortuna Sittard in a match that could have been billed as “The Dutch Derby of the Year” – if the year were 2020 and the drama were scripted. The first half was a textbook lesson in how not to guard a lead: both sides exchanged blows like boxers with a shared love of free‑kicks. A 1‑1 break‑even left the scoreboard looking like a polite handshake, but the second half turned the pitch into a roller‑coaster that even the most seasoned Dutch fans would have struggled to keep up with.

NEC’s attacking spark came from Jens Odgaard, who shrugged off a compact backline to fire home a low‑driven finish that forced Fortuna to chase a goal. The Dane’s movement was the only thing that made sense in a half‑hour where NEC’s midfield seemed to have misplaced their GPS. He finished with an 8.2 rating, the highest on the home side, and earned the unofficial “Man of the Match” badge before the opposition even knew what hit them.

Fortuna answered in kind, with Liam Kelly pulling the strings in midfield and slipping a precise through‑ball to their striker, who slotted past the NEC keeper to make it 2‑1. Kelly’s vision and work‑rate earned him an 8.0, and his willingness to chase the ball back in the dying minutes proved the difference between a draw and a loss.

The second half was a case study in defensive panic. NEC’s left‑back Milan van Ewijk, usually the rock on the flank, was caught out of position twice, conceding a soft goal that left the home fans muttering about “what‑ifs” and “if‑onlys”. Van Ewijk’s rating slipped to a respectable 7.5 – solid for a defender, but far from the heroics needed to keep the points.

Fortuna’s keeper, a wall of calm for most of the match, turned into a jittery cat in the final ten minutes, diving for a header that should have been a routine save. Still, his overall performance (7.2) was enough to keep his side in the game, and his composure under pressure earned him a nod in the rating table.

The stalemate leaves both clubs perched on the same rung of the Eredivisie ladder they occupied before kickoff – NEC still hovering just above the relegation mire, Fortuna Sittard clinging to the edge of the safety zone. With only three points separating them from the drop‑watch, the draw feels more like a temporary truce than a triumph. Both managers will be left to wonder whether the extra two points were worth the defensive lapses that almost cost them dearly.

Player Ratings

• Jens Odgaard (NEC) – 8.2
• Liam Kelly (Fortuna Sittard) – 8.0
• Milan van Ewijk (NEC) – 7.5
• Fortuna Sittard Keeper – 7.2
• NEC Midfielder (Unnamed) – 6.8