AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Hapoel Beer Sheva – UEFA Europa League League Stage
Peer Koopmeiners’ second-half strike and Mexx Meerdink’s ice-cool 77th-minute penalty fired AZ Alkmaar to a nerve-shredding 2-1 victory over Hapoel Beer Sheva in the Europa League League Stage, breaking Israeli hearts after Forson Amankwah’s leveller had threatened a smash-and-grab.
AZ Alkmaar’s First-Half Frustration
The Dutch hosts dominated possession (58%) but found Hapoel’s low block impenetrable early, their 15 total shots including six blocked efforts as the visitors threw bodies in front of everything. The tension boiled over just before half-time – Pedro Miguel Santos Amador and Seiya Maikuma both seeing yellow – but AZ’s xG of 2.75 told the story of a siege without breach.
Hapoel Beer Sheva Hit Back After The Break
Koopmeiners finally broke the deadlock four minutes after the restart, finishing Valdemar Byskov Andreasen’s cutback with a striker’s instinct. But the lead lasted just six minutes – Forson Amankwah pouncing on Zahi Ahmed’s through ball to slot past Joris De Busser against the run of play. The AFAS Stadion fell silent. Hapoel smelled blood.
The Penalty That Settled It
Then came the twist: VAR spotted Djibril Diop’s clumsy challenge on Bendegúz Kovács, confirmed after an agonising wait. Up stepped substitute Meerdink, who sent Omri Marciano the wrong way to restore AZ’s lead. Calvin Stengs’ late yellow for time-wasting summed up AZ’s game management as Hapoel’s desperate long balls (just 42% possession) found only Dutch shoulders.
For AZ, this was a statement win – coming through fire to go second in Group D. For Hapoel, the heartbreak of conceding 12 minutes after equalising leaves them staring at an early exit. Both now face must-win games in Matchday 3, but only one will remember this night as the comeback that got away.
Key Moments
49′ ⚽ AZ Alkmaar — Peer Koopmeiners (assist: Valdemar Byskov Andreasen)
55′ ⚽ Hapoel Beer Sheva — Forson Amankwah (assist: zahi ahmed)
77′ ⚽ AZ Alkmaar — Mexx Meerdink
