BREDA, Netherlands (Interstat) — Substitute Dirk Proper scored and assisted to help NEC edge NAC Breda 4-3 in an Eredivisie thriller Saturday at Rat Verlegh Stadion.

NEC raced to a 3-0 lead with first-half goals from Eli Dasa, Sami Ouaissa and Moussa Soumano. Soumano added his second in the 55th minute. NAC Breda mounted a furious comeback with goals from Proper and Boy Kemper, cutting the deficit to one. Kodai Sano sealed NEC’s win in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

The victory gave NEC a winning start to its Eredivisie campaign, while NAC Breda began with a loss. The result defied a pregame statistical projection of a 1-1 draw.