FC Utrecht 2-3 NEC Nijmegen: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Eredivisie Matchday 12 · Sunday 8 November 2026 · Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht · referee E. Blank · full time
Full time: FC Utrecht 2-3 NEC Nijmegen
FC Utrecht 2-3 NEC Nijmegen: NEC Nijmegen took the points in Eredivisie Matchday 12 on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Stadion Galgenwaard. The goals: Kevin Kers 34', Dusan Tadic 38', Yoann Cathline 56', Dusan Tadic 58', Dani de Wit 64'. It went against Moneyball's pre-match estimate.
How NEC Nijmegen won it
NEC Nijmegen struck first through Kevin Kers in the 34th minute, set up by Mitchel Bakker. Dusan Tadic made it 0-2 to NEC Nijmegen in the 38th minute, set up by Deveron Fonville. Yoann Cathline made it 1-2 to FC Utrecht in the 56th minute, set up by Ángel Alarcón. Dusan Tadic made it 1-3 to NEC Nijmegen in the 58th minute. Dani de Wit made it 2-3 to FC Utrecht in the 64th minute, set up by Nordin Amrabat.
It was 0-2 at half-time.
Dusan Tadic scored twice.
The referee, E. Blank, showed 5 yellow cards: 2 to FC Utrecht and 3 to NEC Nijmegen.
FC Utrecht: A. Correia, 4-3-3 · NEC Nijmegen: D. Schreuder, 3-4-2-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
The prediction missed. Moneyball's pick on the Match Board was FC Utrecht +0.25, and on 2-3 it was wrong.
The estimate's most likely result was a NEC Nijmegen win at 39%, and that is what happened. Its single most likely score was 1-1 (10%).
The match had far more goals than expected: the estimate was about 3.4 goals and there were 5.
Over 2.5 goals had been put at 66%; with 5 goals the over came in, as the estimate leaned.
Both teams to score was 68%; both did, in line with the estimate.
Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-11-08, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 1.74 for FC Utrecht and 2.41 for NEC Nijmegen.
FC Utrecht had 5 shots on target, NEC Nijmegen 7.
FC Utrecht had 50% of the ball, but NEC Nijmegen took the points.
Where the two sides stood before this match
FC Utrecht came into it with 12 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 1.8 and conceding 2.8 a match, with 1.46 expected goals for and 1.84 against, and had won 25% of their matches.
NEC Nijmegen came into it with 12 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 1.7 and conceding 1.8 a match, with 1.88 expected goals for and 1.69 against, and had won 25% of their matches.
FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen: the match in numbers
| FC Utrecht | Match statistics | NEC Nijmegen |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | Ball possession | 50% |
| 1.74 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.41 |
| 16 | Total shots | 16 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 7 |
| 7 | Big chances | 5 |
| 404 | Total passes | 400 |
| 73% | Pass accuracy | 73% |
| 3 | Corners | 8 |
| 17 | Fouls | 11 |
| 1 | Offsides | 1 |
| 12 | Tackles | 14 |
| 4 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 3 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Dusan Tadic (NEC Nijmegen), rated 8.6 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals.
FC Utrecht
- Yoann Cathline 8.2 1 goal
- Dani de Wit 6.9 1 goal
- Nordin Amrabat 6.8 1 assist
- Ángel Alarcón 6.8 1 assist
- Adrian Blake 6.8
NEC Nijmegen
- Dusan Tadic 8.6 2 goals
- Mitchel Bakker 7.4 1 assist
- Noé Lebreton 7.3
- Tjaronn Chery 7.1
- Darko Nejasmic 7.1
The lowest-rated starter was Marius Broholm at 6.1. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- FC Utrecht: FC Utrecht vs SC Cambuur Saturday 21 November 2026 · Eredivisie
- NEC Nijmegen: NEC Nijmegen vs PSV Saturday 21 November 2026 · Eredivisie
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen
What was the score in FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen?
FC Utrecht 2-3 NEC Nijmegen (half-time 0-2), Eredivisie, Sunday 8 November 2026.
Who scored in FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen?
Kevin Kers 34', Dusan Tadic 38', Yoann Cathline 56', Dusan Tadic 58', Dani de Wit 64'.
Did Moneyball predict FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen correctly?
The prediction missed. Moneyball's pick on the Match Board was FC Utrecht +0.25, and on 2-3 it was wrong.
Who was man of the match in FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen?
Dusan Tadic, rated 8.6 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed FC Utrecht vs NEC Nijmegen?
E. Blank.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball is a football statistics site. No model predicts football reliably: every figure is an estimate.