NEC Nijmegen won a European main-draw match for the first time since December 2008, beating Dinamo Zagreb 4-2 at the Maksimir in a wild Europa League clash, as Bryan Linssen scored twice and Tjaronn Chery sealed a famous night for the Dutch side.
Bischoff strikes, Beljo turns it around
After a cagey opening 20 minutes, NEC drew first blood when Tobias Storm found space down the right and crossed for Red Bull Salzburg loanee Clement Bischoff to roll in at the far post, as Flashscore reported.
Dinamo, conceding their first Europa League goal of the season, hit back within eight minutes. Luka Stojkovic and Matteo Perez Vinlof combined down the left, and Dion Drena Beljo headed in the cross for his 16th goal in as many games this campaign. Barely a minute after Luka Ivanusec had a goal ruled out, Beljo struck again, tapping in at the second attempt after his first shot was saved, to make it 2-1.
Linssen's brace flips the night
NEC refused to fold. On 44 minutes Bischoff crossed back from the byline and the unmarked Linssen headed in at the near post to send the sides in level at 2-2.
The visitors started the second half far stronger, and Linssen put them back in front when Darko Nejasmic played him through and his weak shot trickled past Dominik Kotarski's mistimed lunge. Dinamo threw everything forward, but Gonzalo Crettaz produced a double save at the near post to deny Josip Misic and Mislav Orsic.
Substitute Chery, 38, then showed them how it is done, firing into the far corner from range to seal the 4-2 win, as TribalFootball also recorded. Dinamo had more shots and more efforts on target, but NEC scored with four of their five attempts on goal — ruthless finishing on a famous away night.
It was also only NEC's second win in 14 European outings, a statistic that underlines the scale of the achievement for a club whose domestic season had stalled. Dinamo, by contrast, were left to explain how a game they controlled for long spells slipped away in front of their own supporters.
So what: history for NEC, alarm for Dinamo
The win ends NEC's eight-game winless run in all competitions and gives Dick Schreuder's side real belief in this league phase, after the heavy defeat in Turin that Juventus inflicted earlier in the campaign. Next they host Omonia, a genuine chance to post back-to-back European wins.
For Dinamo, this was a fourth defeat in five Europa League home games, and the Croatian champions now face a daunting trip on 5 November to a Sunderland side that sits on seven points. Beljo's brace deserved better, but a defence that conceded four times at home cannot be brushed aside.
Beyond the Final Whistle: this is why the Europa League matters. A 36-year-old and a 38-year-old — Linssen and Chery — dragged a winless Dutch side to its first European win in almost 18 years, in one of the competition's most intimidating away grounds. Dinamo had the possession, the shots and the star striker, and still lost, because NEC wanted every loose ball more. Was this the result of the Europa League season so far? Let us know in the comments.
