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NEC have started their Europa League campaign with a painful defeat. Dick Schreuder's side were thrashed 5-0 by Juventus in Turin on Thursday evening.
With Gonzalo Crettaz suspended, Nikolas Polster started in goal for NEC. Familiar names such as Tjaronn Chery, Dusan Tadic and Bryan Linssen were all included in the visitors' starting XI. Teun Koopmeiners started on the bench for Juventus.
Juventus had NEC off the hook as early as the third minute, when Federico Gatti had a goal ruled out for a foul on Polster. Soon after, though, the breakthrough did come. Nicolás González raced through, Polster came off his line and completely missed the ball, leaving González with the simplest of tap-ins for 1-0.
Then Juventus turned the screw. Polster kept out a header from Nick Woltemade, but he had no chance when Kerim Alajbegovic unleashed a long-range rocket for 2-0. Woltemade then made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Almugera Kabar fouled González.
Between those two goals, NEC were also forced into a change. Clement Bischoff went off with a hamstring injury and Dennis Geiger came on in his place.
NEC did still carve out a few chances before the break. Noé Lebreton and Kabar were both denied by Kamil Grabara, while Bryan Linssen fired over.
Little happened at first after half-time. Juventus were content with what they had, while NEC only looked remotely dangerous through a long-range effort from Geiger.
Still, two more goals arrived in the final quarter of an hour. Zeki Çelik struck first after a cut-back from Randal Kolo Muani to make it 4-0, then moments later Kolo Muani went through on goal, rounded the advancing Polster and tapped in for 5-0. That was how it finished.