Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4' | NEC Nijmegen | Jamiro Monteiro | 0-0 | |
| 10' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — Adam Tahaui (assist: Willum Thor Willumsson) | 1-0 | |
| 43' | Excelsior | Goal — David Garden (assist: Irakli Yegoian) | 1-1 | |
| 45' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — Jamiro Monteiro on, Perr Schuurs off | 1-1 | |
| 45' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — Bram Nuytinck on, Philippe Sandler off | 1-1 | |
| 45' | Excelsior | Substitution — Simon Janssen on, Kasey Bos off | 1-1 | |
| 52' | Excelsior | Lennard Hartjes | 1-1 | |
| 63' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — Dennis Geiger on, Noe Lebreton off | 1-1 | |
| 63' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — Isak Hansen Aaröen on, Kevin Kers off | 1-1 | |
| 67' | Excelsior | Substitution — David Garden on, Nesto groen off | 1-1 | |
| 67' | Excelsior | Substitution — Ágúst Orri Thorsteinsson on, Aymen sliti off | 1-1 | |
| 70' | Excelsior | Rick Meissen | 1-1 | |
| 71' | Excelsior | Substitution — Eric da Silva Moreira on, Valentin Sulzbacher off | 1-1 | |
| 73' | Excelsior | Goal — Valentin Sulzbacher (assist: Aymen sliti) | 1-2 | |
| 81' | Excelsior | Substitution — Ilano Silva Timas on, Alireza Jahanbakhsh off | 1-2 | |
| 87' | NEC Nijmegen | Substitution — Gabriel·Bras on, Clement Bischoff off | 1-2 | |
| 90+2' | NEC Nijmegen | Goal — Noe Lebreton (assist: Perr Schuurs) | 2-2 | |
| 90+5' | Excelsior | Valentin Sulzbacher | 2-2 |
NEC Nijmegen and Excelsior shared the points at the Goffertstadion on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, in a game that had a bit of everything but ultimately finished 2-2. The home side went ahead first, only for Excelsior to hit back before the break, and the sides went in level at 1-1 at half-time. Both teams pushed for a winner after the restart, trading blows in an entertaining second half, with NEC restoring their lead before Excelsior found a way through again to make sure the spoils were shared. Neither side will be fully satisfied with dropping points, but there was enough in this one to suggest both squads have goals in them this season. NEC will feel they let a lead slip twice, while Excelsior can take heart from their resilience on the road. In the bigger picture, a 2-2 draw does no lasting damage to either side this early in the Eredivisie campaign, though both will want to turn narrow leads into three points sooner rather than later.
The Matchup
NEC Nijmegen and Excelsior drew 2-2 at Goffertstadion, in a game that could easily have finished either way. Neither team could really take control of the ball for long, with NEC Nijmegen holding 69% possession, close enough to an even split to explain why the game never settled into one side's favour. Both sides had spells on top without ever pulling clear, and the shot count on the day backs up just how tight things were. A draw is rarely the result either team sets out to get, but on this occasion it was a fair reflection of ninety minutes where chances were shared roughly evenly. Below is a closer look at exactly how the numbers from the match broke down.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
NEC Nijmegen vs Excelsior Lineups
Looking Ahead
NEC Nijmegen have a quick chance to build on this result. Their next test comes at home to Fortuna Sittard, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when NEC Nijmegen vs Fortuna Sittard going to play at 18 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.
Excelsior, meanwhile, does not have long to wait before getting back out onto the pitch. They are next in action at home to Groningen, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: Excelsior vs Groningen going to play at 11 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.