Amoah gives NAC the edge

A lone strike from Ghanaian forward Matthew Amoah gave NAC Breda a narrow victory over seasoned European campaigners Rosenborg BK.

Play-off losses
NAC, who finished third in the Eredivisie but were defeated in the end-of-season play-offs for a place in the UEFA Champions League and then the UEFA Cup, opened the scoring 19 minutes in at the Ratt Verlegh Stadium when Amoah struck. The Norwegian visitors had few sights of the NAC goal thereafter and so will have to overturn the one-goal deficit when they host NAC for the return leg on 27 July in Trondheim.

Rebound
Amoah capitalised on a goalkeeping mistake to edge the hosts in front. The striker received a pass from Anthony Lurling and after his initial effort had been only partially saved by Rune Almenning Jarstein, he reacted sharply to lift the ball over the prone goalkeeper from the rebound.
 
Preparations
Yssouf Koné then had Rosenborg's two best chances to draw level but he was denied by NAC goalkeeper Jelle ten Rouwelaar on both occasions. Koné had to be replaced with what looked to be a hamstring injury before the break, and in the second half, Rosenborg – lying in eighth place halfway through their Tippeligaen season – could have fallen further behind had Kees Kwakman not shot over when well placed.