(Interstat) — NEC Nijmegen opened its Eredivisie campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Heracles Almelo on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Goffertstadion, surpassing pregame projections with a dominant offensive display.

The home side established control early and never relented, netting three first-half goals to effectively decide the contest before the interval. Forward Bryan Linssen opened the scoring in the 17th minute, providing NEC with an early lead it would not surrender. The advantage doubled just six minutes later when substitute Lequincio Zeefuik found the net, marking a swift and impactful entry into the match.

Midfielder Tjaronn Chery extended the lead to three goals just before halftime, scoring in the 42nd minute to cap a thoroughly productive opening period for the hosts. The first-half barrage overwhelmed a Heracles side that struggled to generate consistent pressure.

The visitors managed to find a consolation goal in the second half, breaking through in the 90th minute as midfielder Noé Lebreton scored. However, any momentum was immediately extinguished as NEC restored its three-goal margin just two minutes later. Zeefuik, already with a goal, turned provider, assisting on Başar Önal’s strike to finalize the scoreline at 4-1.

The match concluded with a flurry of disciplinary action in stoppage time, as both goal contributors from the final sequence received yellow cards. Zeefuik was booked in the 90+2 minute, followed by Heracles substitute Ivan Mesík, who was also credited with an assist on Lebreton’s goal, in the 90+3 minute.

The result provided a stark contrast to the pregame analytics. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a tighter 2-1 victory for NEC, while its ELO system gave the home side a 67.6 percent probability of securing a win. The comprehensive nature of the performance exceeded those expectations.

With the victory, NEC begins its Eredivisie season with one win and no losses, while also holding an identical record across all competitions. Heracles starts its league campaign with one loss and no wins, a record that also reflects its standing in all matches this season.

The offensive output was distributed among multiple contributors for NEC. Zeefuik’s one-goal, one-assist performance off the bench was pivotal, while starters Chery, Linssen and Önal each added a goal. Lebreton’s late finish provided the sole highlight for Heracles.

The match underscored NEC’s potent attacking capabilities early in the season and handed Heracles a challenging start to its Eredivisie schedule. The teams will look to build on these initial results as the Dutch top-flight season continues.