Remainder of NAC-Heerenveen to be played in Heerenveen due to safety concerns

NAC Breda threw flares onto the pitch out of protest against the club board
NAC Breda threw flares onto the pitch out of protest against the club boardPro Shots Photo Agency / Sipa USA / Profimedia

The final few minutes of the abandoned Eredivisie game between NAC Breda and sc Heerenveen will be played behind closed doors in Heerenveen on Monday, the clubs confirmed on Sunday.

NAC Breda-Heerenveen was abandoned in the 82nd minute after referee Sander van der Eijk was forced to suspend the game for the second time. Fans of NAC Breda had thrown a flare onto the pitch in the first half, causing the first stoppage. The second stoppage, also for thrown torches, meant a complete abandonment.

The flares were thrown out of protest against the board, whom the fans demanded to leave prior to Sunday's game.

On Sunday, the clubs and KNVB confirmed that the remaining eight minutes and injury time will be played at Heerenveen's Rat Verlegh Stadion. The game, which will be finished behind closed doors, will resume at 14.30 CET.

"For safety reasons, permission has not been granted for the match to be played in Breda. In such cases, the regulations stipulate that the remainder of the match must be played at the opponents’ ground," the KNVB said in a statement.

Though NAC Breda were up 2-0 at the time of the abandonment, the club were relegated to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie due to results elsewhere. Boy Kemper had scored both goals for the hosts.