NEC Nijmegen vs Al-Fayha

NEC took control from the opening exchanges and never relented. Tjaronn Chery opened the scoring in the 24th minute, firing home from inside the box to give the Eredivisie side a deserved lead against a disjointed Al-Fayha defence.

An unregistered trialist doubled the advantage eight minutes later (32'), before Brian Linssen made it 3-0 in the 35th minute with a clinical finish. The hosts went into half-time with a commanding three-goal cushion after an 11-minute blitz.

Noé Lebreton extended the lead to 4-0 in the 73rd minute with a goal from open play, before Kaj Sierhuis took centre stage. The striker scored twice in five minutes — 77th and 82nd — to make it 6-0. A seventh goal followed in the 89th minute from another unregistered trialist to complete the rout.

Chery's 24th-minute opener was the catalyst. Al-Fayha, in the midst of their own pre-season preparations, had held firm for the opening quarter-hour but once the first goal went in, NEC scored twice more before half-time. The Saudi side never recovered from that 11-minute blitz between 24' and 35' that effectively ended the contest before the interval.

• Kaj Sierhuis (NEC) — Two goals in five second-half minutes (77', 82') turned a comfortable win into a statement victory. The striker's movement and sharp finishing punished a tiring Al-Fayha defence that had been under pressure for 75 minutes.
• Tjaronn Chery (NEC) — The experienced midfielder opened the scoring and dictated play from advanced positions in the first half, setting the tone for the demolition.
• Brian Linssen (NEC) — Scored the third goal in the 35th minute, capping a dominant first-half display from the home side.
• Noé Lebreton (NEC) — The defender got forward to score the fourth in the 73rd minute, highlighting NEC's attacking threat from all areas of the pitch.

Player of the Match: Kaj Sierhuis (NEC Nijmegen)

NEC's 7-0 scoreline (3-0 at half-time) reflects total dominance from first whistle to last. The 11-minute spell between 24' and 35' produced three goals, setting a tempo Al-Fayha could not match. The second half followed a similar pattern, with four more goals after the 73rd minute as the Saudi side's resistance crumbled. The presence of two trialists among the scorers (32', 89') suggests NEC used the fixture to evaluate potential new signings in the second half, adding depth to what was already a commanding performance.

This was NEC's fifth pre-season friendly of the summer and the final match of their five-day training camp in Garderen (13–18 July), as confirmed on the club's official website. The Eredivisie side, who finished third in 2025/26 and qualified for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, are building towards a competitive season opener. For Al-Fayha, who finished mid-table in the Saudi Pro League in 2025/26, the heavy defeat serves as a stark benchmark as they continue their own pre-season programme under new preparations.

NEC's next pre-season fixture is against SV Elversberg on 25 July 2026 at Sportpark de Kamp, followed by Sevilla FC on 31 July at the Goffertstadion — their only public friendly at the main stadium. Al-Fayha continue their preparations ahead of the new Saudi Pro League season.

A thorough pre-season workout that told us more about NEC's sharpness than Al-Fayha's shortcomings. The Eredivisie side were ruthless in both halves, and Sierhuis's double off the bench will have caught the eye of head coach Dick Schreuder. The fact that two trialists also found the net adds an intriguing subplot for NEC's recruitment plans as they prepare for Champions League qualifying.