NEC Nijmegen are having a fantastic season, and after beating PSV in the KNVB Cup semi-final, the side now know they will face AZ Alkmaar in the final. AZ Alkmaar beat Telstar last night to reach their ninth KNVB Cup Final and will face NEC who are, in many ways, the team of the season in Dutch football so far. Telstar certainly helped AZ Alkmaar with two own goals and despite pulling one back through Kay Tejan, their dream of a cup final was gone.
AZ Alkmaar last won the KNVB cup in 2013 and have come close in recent years. The side are used to making back to back cup finals, having done so in 1981 and 1982. In 2017 and 2018 they also made the KNVB Cup final, losing on both occasions. Last season they were in the final and lost to Go Ahead Eagles. They will hope that they don’t end up losing another cup final this year.
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NEC will hope to inflict a second cup final defeat in 12 months for AZ Alkmaar on the 19th of April. The side made the final in 2024 but lost to Feyenoord as Arne Slot said farewell to the Rotterdam club. NEC have made five finals in their history, losing all five. The side are having a great Eredivisie campaign and are just a point behind Ajax in third.
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