NAC Breda-Willem II match stopped after NAC fans threw beer cups and firecrackers onto the pitch

The football match between NAC Breda and Willem II was stopped on Friday evening after beer cups were thrown on the field of the Rat Verlegh stadium for the second time. Referee Jeroen Manschot sent the players to the dressing rooms for the first time after about 70 minutes, after firecrackers were thrown onto the playing field from the stands.

Coach Reinier Robbemond seemed to be on his way to Willem II's highest win of the season so far until Manschot permanently interrupted the away game at NAC Breda. The referee walked both teams off the pitch on Friday night shortly after Elton Kabangu scored the 0:1 for Willem II.

"It's disappointing, of course," Robbemond lamented to ESPN. "It should have been a nice night, maybe one of the best of the season. Now it ends in an inconsequential way. Those are the rules, they've been told to everyone. Then it remains to be seen if the referee acts accordingly, but he was right to follow the rules. Then the second time you know it's done."

The KNVB had introduced stricter measures last week after the cup match between Feyenoord and Ajax. The association stipulated, among other things, that a match will be stopped immediately if something is thrown on the playing field. If this happens again, the game will be stopped permanently. Therefore, referee Manschot complied with the new regulations in Breda.

Willem II defender Wessel Dammers was also understanding. "We can not even cheer at the corner flag, because then everything is thrown. What a sad affair. You can't say that an away team can't cheer anywhere, it doesn't mean anything. The referee had no other choice. I think it's right that the KNVB now intervenes in such moments."

Also NAC Breda coach Peter Hyballa told in an interview with ESPN that he was disappointed with the throwing incident at the match.

Peter Hyballa baalt zichtbaar van het gooi-incident bij NAC - Willem II:

"Ik ben ook een emotionele man, maar dit is helemaal kut..."

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) April 14, 2023

The interrupted match between NAC Breda and Willem II will in principle be made up at a later date, and if possible under the same conditions as on Friday night. However, the KNVB league committee can also decide that the current intermediate score (0:1) becomes the final score or that the match even has to be replayed completely.

NAC Breda has at least one suspect who allegedly threw objects at Willem II players. In a joint statement with the municipality of Breda, the police and the prosecutor's office, the club asked this person to come forward. "We are doing everything we can to identify the perpetrators, including by closely examining the camera images," the association said in a statement. "This will undoubtedly have consequences, personally or collectively".