El Kaabi Stuns the Home Crowd Straight After the Break
NEC Nijmegen weren’t supposed to be here, not really — a club in their first-ever Champions League qualifying campaign, up against a European giant with the pedigree and experience to see out a tight tie. For a while, that gap in class looked like it might tell. The first leg in Greece had finished 0-0, leaving everything to be decided at Stadion de Goffert, and Olympiacos wasted no time making their mark on the second leg. Just 30 seconds into the second half, Ayoub El Kaabi struck to silence the home crowd and put the Greek side ahead, exactly the kind of blow that can deflate a team playing above its usual level.
NEC didn’t fold, though. They kept working the ball through Dusan Tadic, trusting his experience to unlock something, and it paid off in the 70th minute — a slick delivery from the Serbian found Bryan Linssen, who leveled things at 1-1 and dragged the tie back level with the away goals gone and the whole thing suddenly wide open again.
A Red Card Shifts the Balance, Then Extra Time Delivers a Hero
The turning point of the night arrived in the 80th minute, when Kostas Fortounis was sent off for Olympiacos, leaving the visitors to play out the rest of normal time and the entirety of extra time a man short. NEC pushed hard with the extra body, and while normal time couldn’t produce a winner, they never let the advantage slip once the additional 30 minutes began.
The decisive moment came in the 95th minute. Emre Mor, who’d only been introduced early as an injury substitute, was the man to finish it off — a composed left-footed strike capping a flowing move that featured Kaj Sierhuis prominently in the buildup. Stadion de Goffert erupted. NEC then did exactly what a smart, experienced side does when protecting a lead — managed the ball, cleared their lines when needed, and restricted Olympiacos to just two shots on target across the full 120 minutes.
What It Means Next
It’s a genuinely historic night for NEC Nijmegen, who move into the Champions League playoff round in their very first qualifying campaign in the competition — a remarkable achievement for a club with no prior European pedigree at this level. For Olympiacos, Balša Popović’s five saves kept the tie alive for long stretches, and Rodinei was relentless at right-back all night, but neither was enough in the end. The Fortounis red card proved the pivotal moment, leaving the Greek side short of attacking outlets exactly when they needed fresh legs most in extra time.
Match Summary
NEC Nijmegen 2-1 Olympiacos (AET, NEC win 2-1 on aggregate) UEFA Champions League, Third Qualifying Round, 2nd Leg — Stadion de Goffert, Nijmegen, Netherlands Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Goals: 46′ Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos) 0-1 70′ Bryan Linssen (NEC) 1-1 (assist: Dusan Tadic) 95′ Emre Mor (NEC) 2-1
Red card: Kostas Fortounis (Olympiacos), 80′
Result: NEC Nijmegen advance to the Champions League playoff round in their first-ever qualifying campaign, beating Olympiacos 2-1 after extra time.
For live Champions League qualifying scores and coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and bracket at the official UEFA Champions League website.
