Heerenveen has won three games in a row in the Eredivisie, with the latest victory coming against NEC. The Friezen were narrowly stronger than NEC and now have 18 points after 11 games. Heerenveen also kept a clean sheet for the fifth time in the competition.

Coach Robin Veldman said that Heerenveen did not always have dominance in the game. "This was a typical game where you win if you make the 1-0," Veldman explained. "It could have gone either way. We didn't always have the dominance in our game, but we had a few good moments and big chances. But to say that it's fair that we win... mwah."

Heerenveen matched NEC's pace in the game with midfielding and a lot of movement. "NEC's game never stops," Veldman said. "When they come under pressure, the ball goes back to the keeper. We keep going, and a long ball comes. We have to organise a lot, and then it can happen that Maas Willemsen as a defender goes through on their keeper and our midfielders have to solve it behind. The players have solved this incredibly well."

The home team struck in the second half through Dylan Vente and gave fewer chances away than in the first half. "We had to do better in possession," Veldman said. "At halftime, we often stranded in the long ball, while we still had a free man on the midfield. That was the most important thing we discussed at halftime."

Heerenveen closed off a tough week with this win. The Friezen defeated ADO Den Haag 2-3, progressed in the cup at the expense of Excelsior Maassluis (0-2) and were then too strong for NEC. "We have taken into account the travel, food and treatment with the double programme," Veldman said. "We've actually created a kind of European week for ourselves. NEC has experienced this already this season, for us it's a matter of getting used to it. We'd like to experience this more often."

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