AZ Alkmaar beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-1 in the Liga Europa, recovering a second-half lead after the visitors had equalized and closing out the contest from there.

Match Summary

The first half never produced a goal. AZ Alkmaar arrived as the pre-match favorite but could not find a finish before the interval. Pedro Amador was booked for Hapoel Beer Sheva in the 39th minute, and Seiya Maikuma followed for AZ Alkmaar as the teams headed into the break still at 0-0.

The match changed as soon as the second half began. Peer Koopmeiners scored in the 49th minute to give AZ Alkmaar the lead. Eliel Peretz and Ayoub Oufkir were both shown yellow cards in the 52nd minute, and Forson Amankwah equalized for Hapoel Beer Sheva in the 55th minute. A home lead that had lasted only a few minutes was gone.

AZ Alkmaar then had to win the game a second time. Mexx Meerdink scored in the 77th minute, putting the home side 2-1 up after they had already been caught once. Late yellow cards followed for Calvin Stengs and Denso Kasius, with Adrian Ugarriza cautioned in the first minute of added time, but Hapoel Beer Sheva could not force another equalizer.

Key Moments

Nothing was settled at the break, so the result turned on the first spell after the restart and on whether AZ Alkmaar could score again once they had been pegged back.

The visitors' equalizer mattered because it arrived so soon after they fell behind. AZ Alkmaar could not simply protect a lead. They had to find another goal against a side that had just finished one of its few chances.

Going in front a second time decided the match. Hapoel Beer Sheva spent the closing minutes trailing, and a run of bookings never produced a red card that might have opened the contest further.

Match Statistics

AZ Alkmaar took 14 shots to 5 and put 6 on target against 3. Expected goals backed the gap at 2.6 to 1, and corners finished 5-1. Hapoel Beer Sheva still put three of five attempts on target, enough to score once but not enough to force a draw. Yellow cards finished 4-4, and neither team was reduced to ten players.

See also

• AZ Alkmaar vs Hapoel Beer Sheva live score
• AltBets live scores
• AltBets tips
• Match recaps