NEC hopes hang by a thread after Champions League home defeat

NEC Nijmegen need a miracle to keep their Champions League hopes alive after going down 3-1 in the first leg of their play-off tie at home to Bodø/Glimt.

The Norwegian side showed all their experience as they withstood a second-half barrage by the hosts, while ruthlessly exploiting the handful of chances they created at the other end.

NEC struggled to break down their patient, well-organised opponents, but a late goal by Clement Bischoff gave them a faint hope of overturning the deficit in next week’s second leg in the Arctic Circle.

“They punished our mistakes ruthlessly,” team captain Tjaronn Chery told Ziggo Sport after the match. “It’s going to be a tough away game, but we’ll give it our all.”

NEC survived an early scare when the referee pointed to the penalty spot in the 11th minute after a handball by Bryann Pereira, but the video replay showed that Bodø/Glimt striker Jens Petter Hauge had touched the ball with his hand first.

The visitors went ahead in the 25th minute when Sondre Brunstad Fet finished off a move that began when Noé Lebreton gave the ball away in midfield.

Incisive

NEC pinned back their opponents in their own half while rarely threatening Nikita Haykin’s goal, while Bodø/Glimt looked more incisive on the few occasions when they broke through.

The second goal came from the penalty spot just before half-time after Tobias Stom pulled back Hauge’s shirt as the striker shaped to shoot.

Andreas Helmersen, who had drawn a fine save earlier from Gonzalo Crettaz, gave the goalkeeper no chance with the penalty.

Five minutes before half-time Haitam Aleesami headed in from a corner to leave NEC with a mountain to climb. But the home side refused to give up and got the goal their efforts deserved when Bisschoff touched in a cross by Dusan Tadic with five minutes left.

NEC almost bagged a second when substitute Kevin Kers saw his header come back off the post. But they will now have to succeed where the likes of Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan have failed in recent seasons by breaching the northern Norwegian club’s polar stronghold.