The supporters are present in large numbers again on this Open Monument Day. The supporters come to the stadium that day knowing that Raul Paula is absent from NAC. On the other hand, Leo Sauer makes a basic debut and Fredrik Oldrup Jensen also makes his appearance in the first eleven. Fortuna Sittard head coach Danny Buijs already refers to the tough week the team has this week in the preview. The intentions on the field are clear. Fortuna leaves the football to NAC in the first half. The team lets NAC come.
The first danger of the match comes, paradoxically enough, from Limburg’s side. After both goalkeepers have easily plucked the ball out of the air in a standard situation, it is Halilovic who, within five minutes, just misses with a well-placed shot. Halilovic repeats this trick after half an hour. His shot is then plucked from the crossbar by Daniel Bielica.
Between Halilovic’s two shots, it is NAC that dictates the match. The pressure on Fortuna Sittard is increased via both flanks, but the formation does not get any further than shots between the posts by Oldrup Jensen and Janosek.
Five minutes after the break, NAC, guided by Valerius, directs the most beautiful attack of the evening. Valerius opens on Kemper, who finds Sauer free in the opponent’s sixteen with a beautiful cross. Sauer puts Elías Már Ómarsson in position to score, but a hand from the keeper prevents that. That chance opens up the match a bit, although it is followed by the biggest chance on Fortuna’s side when Kristoffer Peterson is allowed to take a free shot in the sixteen. Fortunately for the NAC faithful, Boy Kemper blocks the shooting chance with full conviction.
Whatever NAC tries after this; the team is increasingly visible in the opponent’s sixteen during the second half, but it does not lead to any major chances. On the other hand, the audience continues to hold its breath at times. During a skirmish in the sixteen, Kemper is injured and in the ensuing commotion, head coach Hoefkens is shown the red card for protesting.
Hoefkens is banished to the stands and just misses out on Clint Leemans making his comeback in the main selection of NAC ten minutes before the end. While the head coach has just found his place in the stands, the party in the football monument breaks out. A corner from Janosek is cleverly worked in by Kostorz at the first post.
The final minutes of the match the lead against the Limburgers is no longer in danger, so NAC again takes the three points in a home match. Perhaps even better for morale: it also keeps a clean sheet against a high-quality team.
After this victory, NAC can prepare for an opponent from the traditional Top 3; the team will play an away match in De Kuip against Feyenoord next week. With an audience. The away section in Rotterdam is sold out.
