NAC Breda Fight Back to Earn Crucial Point Against Twente

NAC Breda staged a thrilling second-half comeback to rescue a 2-2 draw against eighth-placed FC Twente at the Rat Verlegh Stadion, keeping their Eredivisie survival hopes alive with a gutsy display that defied their lowly league position.

Trailing 2-0 at the break following goals from Mees Rots and Ricky van Wolfswinkel, the hosts looked destined for another damaging defeat that would have further cemented their place in the relegation zone. Instead, Clint Brym’s 61st-minute strike ignited a remarkable turnaround, before Moussa Soumano’s 87th-minute equaliser sent the home faithful into raptures.

Dominant First Half Fails to Kill the Game

Twente controlled proceedings early, their superior class evident as they monopolised possession (63% overall) and carved out the better chances. Daan Rots picked up an early booking but his namesake Mees provided the breakthrough six minutes before half-time, capitalising on NAC’s defensive fragility. Van Wolfswinkel’s strike six minutes into the second period appeared to seal the points for the visitors.

The statistics painted a picture of two evenly-matched sides trading blows—20 shots for NAC versus 18 for Twente, with identical goalkeeper save tallies of seven apiece. However, the expected goals metric (1.25 to 1.63 in Twente’s favour) suggested the away side created marginally better opportunities despite NAC’s territorial advantage.

Late Drama Defies Form Guide

NAC’s fighting spirit, so often absent during their dismal campaign, finally surfaced when it mattered most. Both teams made wholesale changes as the match wore on, but it was the hosts who found the extra gear. Their never-say-die attitude earned a precious point that moves them to 17 points from 21 matches, still nine places and 15 points behind Twente but with renewed hope.

The draw extends NAC’s winless run but provides vital momentum in their relegation battle, whilst Twente will rue their inability to see out a commanding position that would have strengthened their mid-table security.