NAC Breda defeated Eredivisie strugglers Excelsior 3-1 on Wednesday to move up to seventh in the Dutch table. The result was Breda's first away win of their campaign.

Matthew Amoah put the visitors in front late in the first half and Robbert Schilder doubled the advantage 15 minutes from time. Tim Vincken gave Excelsior hope of a comeback by pulling one back in the 84th minute, but Ali Boussaboun goal's at the death ended the contest.

Excelsior started the brighter and Guyon Fernandez cut into the area from the left and made room for a shot which flew high and wide. Miguel Nelom then made ground down the left and cut inside before laying the ball back to Roland Bergkamp to the right of goal, whose effort from 18 yards flew wide of the far post.

NAC went ahead six minutes before the break as Boussaboun's cross from the left found Amoah who sent a glorious curling shot into the top corner from the edge of the area. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the hosts and NAC could have added to their lead soon after the restart.

Leonardo fired over the top and then set up Amoah who drilled a shot narrowly wide of the post in the opening four minutes of the half. But NAC needed a huge slice of luck to stay ahead in the 71st minute. Following a scramble in the area, Fernandez got a shot in which looked headed for the bottom left corner with goalkeeper Jelle Ten Rouwelaar diving the other way, only for the ball to deflect off his left foot and over the bar.

And instead of being level Excelsior found themselves two goals down four minutes later. Schilder got down the left and into the area where he played a neat one-two with Nemanja Gudelj before scoring with a low finish. The home side gave themselves hope six minutes from time as Vincken fired home from Bergkamp's pull-back, but that was snuffed out in the dying seconds. With Excelsior outnumbered at the back, Boussaboun converted Fouad Idabdelhay's pass to seal victory for NAC.