N’Djoli hat-trick powers record-setting Heracles past De Graafschap

Heracles Almelo extended their perfect start to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie season by sweeping De Graafschap aside 5-0. The fifth consecutive victory set a club record: Heracles had never previously won their opening five matches of an Eerste Divisie campaign.

Jean-Paul N’Djoli headed in Chafik Abbas’s cross just over a minute after kick-off, scoring his seventh league goal of the season. De Graafschap responded with some promising play, forcing Fabian de Keijzer to save from Gabriele Finocchiaro, but Abbas doubled the hosts’ advantage with a low finish shortly before half-time.

Heracles pulled clear after the interval. Tristan van Gilst converted a Thomas Bruns delivery for the third goal with around 20 minutes remaining. N’Djoli then struck powerfully following Sem Scheperman’s header before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot. It was also Heracles’ first clean sheet of the league season.

The result strengthened Heracles’ position at the top of the table with 15 points. Head coach Vincent Heilmann, who named the same starting XI that had beaten FC Eindhoven 3-1, praised his side’s discipline and patience but urged caution. “This is a good start,” he told the club’s official website, while stressing that the competition remains difficult. Mario Engels returned to the matchday squad after injury, and new signing Vincent Poppler began on the bench.