Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7' | AZ Alkmaar | Goal — Ro Zangelo Daal (assist: Wouter Goes) | 0-1 | |
| 21' | Heerenveen | Goal — Nolhan courtens (assist: Dylan Vente) | 1-1 | |
| 28' | Heerenveen | Nolhan courtens | 1-1 | |
| 30' | Heerenveen | Goal — Ringo Meerveld (assist: Dirk Proper) | 2-1 | |
| 45' | AZ Alkmaar | Substitution — Mateo Chávez on, Mees de Wit off | 2-1 | |
| 45' | AZ Alkmaar | Substitution — Weslley Pinto Batista on, Calvin Stengs off | 2-1 | |
| 54' | AZ Alkmaar | Ro Zangelo Daal | 2-1 | |
| 64' | AZ Alkmaar | Substitution — Jordy Clasie on, Valdemar Byskov Andreasen off | 2-1 | |
| 68' | Heerenveen | Substitution — Dylan Vente on, Roberts Uldriķis off | 2-1 | |
| 68' | Heerenveen | Substitution — Maxence Rivera on, Luca Oyen off | 2-1 | |
| 68' | AZ Alkmaar | Substitution — Elijah Dijkstra on, Seiya Maikuma off | 2-1 | |
| 69' | AZ Alkmaar | Goal — Mexx Meerdink (assist: Valdemar Byskov Andreasen) | 2-2 | |
| 74' | Heerenveen | Substitution — Dirk Proper on, Levi Smans off | 2-2 | |
| 82' | AZ Alkmaar | Substitution — Ro Zangelo Daal on, Ayoub Oufkir off | 2-2 | |
| 83' | AZ Alkmaar | Goal — Ayoub Oufkir (assist: Mexx Meerdink) | 2-3 | |
| 88' | Heerenveen | Substitution — Nolhan courtens on, Hristiyan Petrov off | 2-3 | |
| 90+1' | AZ Alkmaar | Ayoub Oufkir | 2-3 |
Heerenveen looked well on top for large stretches of the first half at the Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday, 6 September 2026, and led 2-1 at the break against a shaky-looking AZ side. The home crowd had every reason to think three points were coming their way. But football has a habit of turning on its head in the second period, and that's exactly what happened here. AZ came out with far more purpose after the interval and turned the game around completely, scoring twice to seal a 2-3 win on the road. It's a result that will sting Heerenveen given the position they were in at half-time, and it shows just how costly a slow start to the second half can be in this league. For AZ, it's the kind of away win that can shift the mood of a whole season, snatched from what looked like a losing position.
The Matchup
AZ Alkmaar beat Heerenveen 2-3 at Abe Lenstra Stadion, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Even without the extra share of possession, which finished 45% in favour of Heerenveen, AZ Alkmaar made the most of the chances that mattered and did enough to see the game out. The shot count told a similar story, with 14 attempts from Heerenveen against 15 from AZ Alkmaar over the course of the game. Heerenveen had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
Heerenveen vs AZ Alkmaar Lineups
Looking Ahead
Heerenveen does not have long to wait before getting back out onto the pitch. Their next test comes at home to Excelsior, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when Heerenveen vs Excelsior going to play at 16 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.
AZ Alkmaar, meanwhile, will already be turning their attention to what comes next. They are next in action away at Cambuur, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: Cambuur vs AZ Alkmaar going to play at 18 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.