Match Centre

Cambuur's 3-0 victory was justified by their superior efficiency in front of goal, despite holding just 37% possession. The hosts converted 3 goals from 7 shots on target (43% conversion rate), while NEC Nijmegen managed only 1 shot on target from 10 attempts despite 63% possession. Ilyes Hamache's brace (21', 54') set the tone, with the Algerian converting both his only shots on target. Billy van Duijl's assist for the opener exemplified Cambuur's direct approach, bypassing NEC's midfield with just 172 accurate passes compared to the visitors' 336.

NEC's wastefulness told the story: their 1.1 xG (via 5 shots inside the box) yielded no goals, while Cambuur created higher-quality chances (11 shots inside box, 3 blocked). The hosts' defensive discipline was also key, committing just 16 fouls to NEC's 18 and limiting them to 1 shot on target. Iwan Henstra's late strike (90+2') added gloss, assisted by Jamal Amofa after NEC's frustrated backline collected 4 yellow cards. Cambuur's xG overperformance (+1.9 vs actual goals) and NEC's inability to turn control into chances (63% possession, 0 goals) defined this mismatch.