NEC won 3-2 at Stadion Galgenwaard on Sunday evening, surviving two FC Utrecht fightbacks. The victory ends the Nijmegen side's run of eight league matches without a win and adds to the concerns facing FC Utrecht coach Anthony Correia.
For FC Utrecht, Correia made four changes: Vasilis Barkas, Per Kloosterboer, Artem Stepanov and Ángel Alarcón started. Kloosterboer got the nod over Arthur Zagré at left-back, while Oualid Agougil began on the bench and Marius Broholm played as a number 10. NEC started Dušan Tadic, Mitchel Bakker and Gabriel Brás, along with Deveron Fonville, who had returned from injury.
FC Utrecht started brightly and put the visitors under pressure from the off. Yoann Cathline had a chance to shoot after just three minutes, but his effort went straight into Gonzalo Crettaz's hands. After 20 minutes, the forward went down in the penalty area, but referee Erwin Blank waved away the penalty appeals.
Still threatening, the home side went close when Stepanov hit the side-netting after 25 minutes. NEC proved more clinical. Kevin Kers headed in a cross in the 34th minute to make it 0-1, and four minutes later, Tadic doubled the lead to give the Nijmegen side a comfortable advantage at the break.
After the interval, FC Utrecht pushed to cut the deficit, and Dani de Wit soon headed into the side-netting. The goal came in the 56th minute: Alarcón broke through and Cathline tapped in to make it 1-2. The joy at Galgenwaard did not last.
Tadić scored his second just two minutes later to restore NEC's two-goal lead at 1-3. Correia immediately sent on Nordin Amrabat, Adrian Blake and Agougil. The changes gave Utrecht fresh energy, and De Wit headed in to make it 2-3 in the 64th minute.
With an equaliser in sight, FC Utrecht created several chances. NEC goalkeeper Crettaz came a long way off his line in the 68th minute, but Matisse Didden shot wide of the empty goal. Ten minutes later, Didden went close again, only for Crettaz to keep him out with a fine save.
Blake also had an excellent chance, but Crettaz denied the substitute. Agougil then fired just over.
NEC held on to end their eight-match winless run in the league. The Nijmegen side climb above their opponents into 11th, while Correia's FC Utrecht sit 14th after another huge setback.