The Kerkrade club trailed to a Leandro Bacuna penalty, as Groningen tried to banish thoughts of their shoot-out defeat to ADO Den Haag in a Europa League play-off at the end of last season. Ruud Vormer was sent off for a professional foul in giving away the penalty. However, Roda roared back thanks to Mark-Jan Fledderus' free-kick 14 minutes from time and Sanharib Malki earned them all three points when he slotted home from Mads Junker's pass two minutes from time. NEC Nijmegen scored twice in the final seven minutes to grab a 2-2 draw away to 10-man Heerenveen. Heerenveen had looked on course for a comfortable opening-day win when Luciano Narsingh's 70th-minute strike, after Oussama Assaidi's opener, fired them 2-0 ahead. But the hosts threw away victory in a breathless end to the match. Bram Nuytinck pulled a goal back on 83 minutes and, after Viktor Elm was shown a straight red card for a horror tackle, Stef Nijland stole a share of the points in the closing stages. Newly-promoted RKC Waalwijk staged an even later recovery, striking twice in the final five minutes to seal a 2-2 draw at home to Heracles Almelo. Heracles led through Everton in the 32nd minute and the three points looked all-but certain when Glynor Plet's deflected strike found the net 10 minutes from time. However, RKC were given a chance to get back into the game when Antoine van der Linden tripped Ricky ten Voorde in the box, conceding a penalty which Robert Braber converted. Van der Linden was sent off for the foul, and the 10 men of Heracles could not hold on as Ten Voorde levelled at the death. VVV Venlo and FC Utrecht played out a goalless draw in the day's late kick-off. The home side finished the game with 10 men as substitute Rogier Molhoek was sent off with 10 minutes to go. Guyon Fernandez marked his Feyenoord debut with a goal to pave the way for a 2-0 victory over his former club Excelsior in Friday night's Eredivisie opener at the Stadion Woudestein. Fernandez made the move across Rotterdam in the summer and his impact was immediate as he fired in the game's opener after 56 minutes. A Leen van Steensel own goal followed on 71 minutes to seal a derby win for Ronald Koeman in his first competitive game as Feyenoord boss.
