NEC Nijmegen and Ajax are both scheduled to play European matches on Thursday evening, according to reports from VoetbalPrimeur. While NEC played a match in the Europa League at home, Ajax traveled to Denmark to face FC Midtjylland.
NEC Overcomes Omonia Nicosia at De Goffert
NEC Nijmegen earned a 3-1 victory over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League, recovering from an early deficit to secure the win. The visitors took the lead in the 23rd minute through Loïs Diony. NEC responded after the break, with Bryan Linssen leveling the score in the 50th minute. Clement Bischoff added a second goal in the 74th minute before Linssen secured his brace and the final result two minutes later, according to the match report.
The match saw Dick Schreuder’s side manage early personnel changes, with Schuurs replaced by Willumsson in the 15th minute. NEC maintained control through a midfield anchored by Nejasmic and Monteiro, ultimately overcoming a Cypriot side that had previously recorded wins against Celta de Vigo and NK Celje in the competition.
Ajax Dominates in Herning
Ajax traveled to Denmark to face FC Midtjylland, marking a return to the venue where the Amsterdam club previously secured a 1-2 win in 2020. Entering the match as the Danish league leaders, Midtjylland prepared to face an Ajax side featuring a starting lineup including Ter Stegen, Kehrer, and Klaassen. VoetbalPrimeur noted that while Midtjylland entered the match in strong domestic form, they had struggled to find consistency in European play, having gathered only one point in the Conference League prior to this fixture.
NEC Improves Table Standing After Defeating Omonia Nicosia
For NEC, the win follows a turbulent start to the Europa League campaign, which included a heavy defeat to Juventus and a subsequent draw with Levski Sofia. The Nijmegen club’s victory over Omonia Nicosia, coupled with their previous 2-4 win away at Dinamo Zagreb, positions them to compete for a higher standing in the table.
Ajax remains the only Dutch club to have played away from home this midweek, successfully managing the travel and the challenge of a top-tier Danish opponent. Other Dutch participants, such as AZ, faced different challenges on the same night, with AZ hosting Juventus in a match that drew attention for the potential on-pitch meeting of brothers Teun and Peer Koopmeiners, as detailed by Ajax Showtime.
The UEFA competitions continue with the next round of matches scheduled as the clubs look to cement their positions in the qualifying tables for the knockout stages.
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