Breda relegated after 15 years in Dutch league

NAC Breda have been relegated following their 1-2 loss to Roda with fewer away goals on aggregate in the play-offs of Dutch league, after the club occupied the first-division league spot for 15 years.

In the other play-off, De Graafschap won 1-0 over FC Volendam after the two second-division teams drew 0-0 in the first leg on Sunday, reports Xinhua.

Mitchel Paulissen opened the scoring just before half-time on behalf of Roda and the game ended 1-1 on aggregate after regular time.

Both teams started the extra time with ten men, after Mats Seuntjens (NAC) and Arjan Swinkels (Roda) had been sent off. A header by Dirk Marcellis, deflected by Tom Van Hyfte, raised the home team's hope to stay in the first division, but Van Hyfte made up for a winner and promotion for Roda.

After one season in the second league, Roda now return to the highest level and get the southern province of Limburg a place in the Eredivisie again. For NAC, which finished 16th in the regular season, a period of 15 years at the highest level came to an end.

Also on Sunday Vitesse won the European play-offs by beating sc Heerenveen 5-2 in Arnhem after the 2-2 draw in Heerenveen.

The visitors led 2-1 at half-time, but after the equaliser by substitute Marko Vejinovic (penalty) Davy Propper, Zakaria Labyad and Jan-Arie van der Heijden earned Vitesse the win and the ticket for Europe.