NEC Nijmegen stun PSV in thriller to clinch spot in Dutch Cup final

[p]The first semifinal of the 2025/26 KNVB Beker campaign was between league leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a] and fourth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC Nijmegen[/a], who were looking to end a four-game winless streak.[/p][p][b]In front of their own fans, NEC got off to a dream start when PSV stopper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovar-matej/tIXuiy4C/"]Matej Kovar[/a] failed to safely parry a shot from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ouaissa-sami/UsLzacGG/"]Sami Ouaissa[/a] away and handed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/linssen-brian/hxOWVXZo/"]Bryan Linssen[/a] a golden opportunity to chip the ball over Kovar in the rebound and earn NEC the lead after six minutes.[/b][/p][embed guid="fda08f14-8c20-4f89-a78e-202dceae37de" url="https://x.com/ESPNnl/status/2028919227504095679?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]A pair of chances for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boadu-myron/GE24QNxi/"]Myron Boadu[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veerman-joey/AgXeAAQR/"]Joey Veerman[/a] were denied by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cillessen-jasper/25zBQ1q4/"]Cillessen[/a], but a third from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saibari-ismael/WzSmqNMQ/"]Ismael Saibari[/a] became too much for NEC, who conceded the equaliser ten minutes after Linssen's opener through a header of the Moroccan midfield maestro.[/b][/p][p][b]PSV took their first lead of the evening very quickly after Saibari's equaliser - Romanian winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/man-dennis/zwvX5g6l/"]Dennis Man[/a] was allowed to safely pass through NEC's defence and slotted the ball in Cillessen's bottom corner to put PSV up one after 19 minutes.[/b][/p][p][b]An extremely entertaining first half saw NEC pick up the pace and pepper Kovar's goal with shots from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dasa-elazar/UwUiqD0a/"]Eli Dasa[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lebreton-noe/nTSAxkMK/"]Noe Lebreton[/a], whose shot was blocked but fell favourably for Dasa, who volleyed the ball in Kovar's far corner.[/b][/p][p]After four goals, all the action in the first half didn't seem to be done just yet when Bryan Linssen came close to adding another for NEC shortly before half-time. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük had the whistle in his mouth to blow for half-time, but allowed PSV to cross the pitch one more time and create a chance for Saibari, whose last-ditch effort hit Cillessen's post.[/p][embed guid="af9159d5-9d4e-47fe-a375-35ef6cb75edc" url="https://x.com/ESPNnl/status/2028930594546020750?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The second half saw both sides continue their offensive style of play and create several chances early on. Myron Boadu and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perisic-ivan/4AbKyVr9/"]Ivan Perisic[/a] were denied by Cillessen, while Sami Ouaissa saw Kovar stop his effort after nearly an hour.[/p][p][b]Another quick attack from NEC was fruitful at last, with Lebreton's cross tapped in by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/basar-onal/E5J0klxS/"]Basar Önal[/a] at the far post to give the hosts the lead again after an hour.[/b][/p][p]The score was close to changing twice in the space of just five minutes, with Jasper Cillessen brilliantly saving a close-range effort from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/obispo-armando/dzZ57CXC/"]Armando Obispo[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-kachati-youssef/l4G2pbNo/"]Youssef El Kachati[/a] missing a one-on-one with Kovar after being gifted the ball by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mauro-junior/jZwOs76l/"]Mauro Junior[/a].[/p][embed guid="339ad7ce-a7fc-4a86-90c6-e9c4cd4afaaf" url="https://x.com/necnijmegen/status/2028938585517224441?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]PSV slowed down in the latter stages of the second half and got closer to conceding a fourth than scoring a third, with only Obispo taking Cillessen under fire in the final 15 minutes, despite PSV having 75% ball possession.[/p][p]Ivan Perisic dreamt of putting PSV alongside NEC with just one minute to spare, but the Croatian's effort flew over Cillessen's goal as time ran out for the reigning champions.[/p][p]NEC, who've not won the Dutch Cup in their history, clinched their sixth KNVB Beker final spot in club history - their first since 2024 - with a stunning 3-2 victory over champions-to-be PSV. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/az-alkmaar/2RxOow1i/"]AZ[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/telstar/Aw0qTPat/"]Telstar[/a] await in the final, which will take place on April 19th in De Kuip in Rotterdam.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/psv-M9UEHJWi/?mid=b1Ef30tp"]Check out all the match statistics on Flashscore[/a][/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="ca1bd374-9757-4336-bf43-a6a1dc419904" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="a8308259-0550-4eb7-879f-f72c1882a3c7" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /]