N.E.C. Nijmegen secured a valuable point away to Ajax on Saturday. Dick Schreuder's side recovered from an early setback to earn a 1-1 draw at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
The home side took the lead after just seven minutes. A cross from Jorthy Mokio was headed in by striker T. Arokodare. N.E.C. responded well and were awarded a penalty twelve minutes later. Tjaronn Chery converted the spot-kick calmly to restore parity. This goal was Chery's fourth of the season in seven league appearances.
Lineup and changes
Schreuder opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation with G. Crettaz in goal. The defence consisted of G. Brás, P. Schuurs and D. Fonville. The manager introduced fresh legs in the second half. In the 73rd minute, M. Bakker replaced the tiring B. Linssen and A. Kaplan came on for P. Schuurs. Further midfield changes followed later.
The statistics show Ajax dominated possession and created more chances, but the Nijmegen defence and goalkeeper Crettaz, who made four saves, held firm. Both teams received two yellow cards. N.E.C.'s last match, a 1-1 home draw with Go Ahead Eagles, is part of a five-game winless run. Their recent form reads DDLLD, with three draws and two defeats.
Attention now turns to European competition. N.E.C. Nijmegen host Levski Sofia in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening. That match at Stadion de Goffert kicks off at 21:00 and offers the team a chance to convert the momentum from this hard-earned point into a victory.
