NEC Nijmegen came to Tilburg and put on a clinical display, running out 4-1 winners at the Koning Willem II Stadion. The visitors dominated possession with nearly 70 percent of the ball and made it count with ten shots on target compared to Willem II's two. NEC broke the deadlock before half-time and never looked back, adding three more after the interval to seal a convincing away victory. Willem II offered little resistance, managing just nine attempts at goal throughout the match. Karst de Leeuw was named man of the match despite his side's heavy defeat, a rare bright spark in what turned out to be a difficult afternoon for the hosts. The scoreline reflects NEC's superiority and they'll head home with a commanding three points.
The Matchup
NEC Nijmegen beat Willem II 1-4 at Koning Willem II Stadion, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Even without the extra share of possession, which finished 32% in favour of Willem II, NEC Nijmegen made the most of the chances that mattered and did enough to see the game out. The shot count told a similar story, with 9 attempts from Willem II against 21 from NEC Nijmegen over the course of the game. Willem II had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16' | Willem II | Nathan Tjoe-A-On | 0-0 | |
| 45' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — A. Tahaui (assist: C. Bischoff) | 0-1 | |
| 54' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — T. Chery | 0-2 | |
| 64' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — B. Linssen | 0-3 | |
| 65' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — D. Nejasmic on, N. Lebreton off | 0-3 | |
| 66' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — C. Bischoff on, E. Mor off | 0-3 | |
| 66' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — B. Linssen on, K. Sierhuis off | 0-3 | |
| 67' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — K. Sierhuis (assist: T. Chery) | 0-4 | |
| 69' | Willem II | Substitution — N. Tjoe a On on, H. ter Avest off | 0-4 | |
| 69' | Willem II | Substitution — A. Ciranni on, M. Lemmens off | 0-4 | |
| 69' | Willem II | Substitution — E. Gurbuz on, T. Verheydt off | 0-4 | |
| 75' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — D. Fonville on, A. Kabar off | 0-4 | |
| 77' | Willem II | Goal — T. Verheydt (assist: H. ter Avest) | 1-4 | |
| 89' | Willem II | Substitution — K. Boogaard on, D. Iglesias off | 1-4 | |
| 89' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — A. Tahaui on, B. Nuytinck off | 1-4 |
Willem II vs NEC Nijmegen Lineups
Looking Ahead
Willem II does not have long to wait before getting back out onto the pitch. Their next test comes at home to Heerenveen, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when Willem II vs Heerenveen going to play at 30 August 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.
NEC Nijmegen, meanwhile, will already be turning their attention to what comes next. They are next in action away at PEC Zwolle, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: PEC Zwolle vs NEC Nijmegen going to play at 29 August 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.