NEC makes club history: Nijmegen heading to the Champions League qualifying rounds
NEC Nijmegen has crowned a historic season with a third-place finish in the Eredivisie, earning them a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds. A 2-1 victory over Go Ahead Eagles, courtesy of two goals from French forward Noé Lebreton, brought the curtain down on the club's greatest ever season in front of a jubilant Goffertstadion.
Lebreton hands NEC a historic send-off
It was Noé Lebreton who took centre stage in the final home match of the season. The French forward struck twice to steer NEC to third place. 'It's incredible. I'm so happy with the goals, but this is a victory for the whole group. And now we get to go into Europe, the Champions League qualifying rounds,' he said afterwards. For Lebreton, who was experiencing his first season in Nijmegen, the magnitude of the achievement is hard to overstate. 'This season has been magnificent. I arrived at exactly the right moment. Nobody is ever going to forget this.'
Captain Chery calls it club history
Captain Tjaronn Chery, who is approaching his 38th birthday, celebrated in style inside the Goffertstadion. 'I'm absolutely exhausted,' the veteran laughed. 'The club is making history. The highest finish ever and the most points ever.' Chery was equally emphatic about the merit behind the achievement. 'We are truly the rightful number three. And now European football. I've never experienced anything like this.' The captain also looked ahead to what is to come. 'Going into the Champions League qualifying rounds with this squad — I can't wait. I'll be there, giving everything and enjoying every moment.'
Sparkling NEC made things unnecessarily difficult for themselves
The match against Go Ahead Eagles was a fitting reflection of how NEC played throughout the season. Particularly in the first half, the side put on an attacking spectacle, though the half-time margin could have been far more comfortable. 'We should have been 3-0 or 4-0 up at the break. We made it harder for ourselves than it needed to be,' said Chery. Left winger Basar Önal was unplayable for the Go Ahead defence before the interval. 'I played well, but I started to tire in the second half, which is why I came off. None of that matters now though — we've done it.'
Praise for manager Dick Schreuder
According to Chery, a large share of the credit belongs to manager Dick Schreuder. 'Full credit to him. He came in with a clear set of expectations and was straightforward from the very beginning about how he wanted to play. And he never deviated from that, even when things got a little difficult.' That tactical consistency and the attacking style of play Schreuder implemented ultimately proved to be the key to the most successful season in NEC Nijmegen's club history.
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Source: Via NOS (GNews)
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