The clearest summary of the match came from the split between the two halves. MSV Duisburg did the hard work before the break, opening up a 2-0 advantage that gave them control of the contest. NEC Nijmegen responded after half-time and outscored the visitors 2-1 in the second period, but the early deficit proved too much to recover from.
For the home side, the result will sting because the second-half push showed more bite. NEC improved the score after the interval and made the closing stages more competitive, yet they were always chasing once Duisburg had established their cushion. The visitors, meanwhile, left with the better of the stats that mattered most - three goals and a narrow away win.
The highlights were in the momentum shift rather than a complete turnaround. Duisburg's strong first half set the platform, NEC's late push altered the look of the score, and the one-goal margin held to the final whistle. In friendly terms it was an open game, but in the end the result belonged to the away side.