NAC Breda return to the Rat Verlegh after a flat home opener, but their underlying numbers tell a different story: they’ve outshot opponents 25 to 10 and held 68% possession across two games. Jong Ajax arrive on the back of two chaotic defeats, scoring freely yet shipping eight…
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Sign inNAC Breda welcome Jong Ajax to the Rat Verlegh Stadion in Breda on Saturday, 22 August 2026, for an Eerste Divisie Round 3 encounter. The home side will be desperate for a positive result after suffering a 2-0 defeat in their last outing at this ground.
NAC went down 0-2 at home to VVV Venlo on 14 August in a match where an Edhy Zuliani double decided the contest. Manager Peter Maes lined his side up in a 4-3-1-2 formation that evening, with Michael Verrips in goal, a back four of Cherrion Valerius, Leo Greiml, Jan van den Bergh and Rio Hillen, a midfield trio of Raul Paula, Charles-Andreas Brym and Fredrik Oldrup Jensen, and Mohamed Nassoh playing behind strikers Paul Gladon and Pepijn Reulen. The defeat halted any early-season momentum, and a response is expected in front of their own supporters.
Jong Ajax, the reserve team of the Amsterdam giants, arrive with a squad packed with academy talent. The side typically provides chances for some of the Netherlands' brightest teenage prospects, which can produce exhilarating attacking football but also leaves them vulnerable defensively. Their results tend to fluctuate, making them a difficult opponent to gauge. In the early stages of the season, Jong Ajax have shown flashes of quality but will need to tighten up if they are to trouble a fired-up NAC side.
NAC’s experienced trio of Paula, Brym and Jensen will be tasked with dictating the tempo against a likely youthful Jong Ajax engine room. If NAC can establish control in central areas, they can feed Nassoh in the hole and provide service to the physical front pairing. For the visitors, disrupting that rhythm through energetic pressing will be crucial to protecting a backline that has conceded goals in transitions this term.
NAC Breda have reported no fresh injury concerns, and Maes may stick with the same starting XI that faced VVV Venlo, though the performance level in that defeat could prompt changes – particularly in the attacking third. Jong Ajax are expected to travel with a squad drawn from their Under-21 pool, and while there is no official word on forced absences, head coach Frank Peereboom may rotate to keep legs fresh in a demanding phase of the season.
Following this fixture, NAC will look to use the match as a springboard before they embark on a run of games against fellow promotion contenders. For now, the focus is entirely on producing a performance worthy of the Rat Verlegh faithful.
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