UEFA Europa League Gameweek 2
AZ Alkmaar 2 - 1 FT Hapoel Beer Sheva
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Futmetrix Verdict
100
FT
Sun, Oct 25
Barcelona
1-2
Real Madrid
⚡ Intensity
68
⚖️ Balance
42
🏆 Stakes
100
🎲 Upset
60
Mbappé breaks El Clásico late
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
45' Seiya Maikuma
HT
49' Peer Koopmeiners (Valdemar Byskov Andreasen)
Eilel Peretz 52'
52' Ayoub Oufkir
↓ Idan Nachmias ↑Miguel Vitor 53'
Forson Amankwah (zahi ahmed) 55'
61' ↓ Ayoub Oufkir ↑Calvin Stengs
61' ↓ Seiya Maikuma ↑Denso Kasius
↓ Mohamad Abu Rumi ↑Javon East 62'
↓ Eilel Peretz ↑Niv·Yehoshua 62'
75' Bendegúz Kovács
Djibril diop 76'
76' ↓ Bendegúz Kovács ↑Mexx Meerdink
76' ↓ Mees de Wit ↑Mateo Chávez
77' Mexx Meerdink
78' Calvin Stengs
↓ Igor Zlatanović ↑Adrián Ugarriza 78'
↓ zahi ahmed ↑João Victor 78'
83' Denso Kasius
86' ↓ Ro Zangelo Daal ↑Weslley Pinto Batista
Adrián Ugarriza 90'+1
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
AZ Alkmaar
Goalkeepers
Jari De Busser 
ARCHITECT
1
Key Passes
1
Key Passes
0
Assists
30%
Pass Acc
Defenders
Seiya Maikuma 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
5
Tackles
60%
Duel Win %
Wouter Goes
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Wesley Hoedt 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Mees de Wit
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
50%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Dave Kwakman 
MAGNET
77
Activity
77
Activity
67
Passes
10
Duels
Valdemar Byskov 
ENFORCER
3
Tackles
3
Tackles
4
Duels Won
80%
Win %
Peer Koopmeiners 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Forwards
Ayoub Oufkir
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
B. Kovacs 
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
Ro-Zangelo Daal 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
9
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Mateo Chávez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Elijah Dijkstra
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rion Ichihara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Denso Kasius
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lewis Schouten
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jordy Clasie
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Calvin Stengs
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mexx Meerdink 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Weslley Patati
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Goalkeepers
Ofir Marciano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Guy Mizrahi
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
26%
Pass Acc
Djibril Diop
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Idan Nachmias
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
53
Total Mins
53
Entry
Pedro Amador
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
55%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Eliel Peretz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Lucas Ventura
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
9
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Amankwah Forson
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Forwards
Mohamad Abu Rumi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Igor Zlatanovic
LATE SHIFT
12
Late Mins
12
Late Mins
78
Total Mins
78
Entry
Zahi Ahmed 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
6.8
Rating
BENCH
Y. Shani
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Marco Wolff
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Miguel Vitor
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Itay Rotman
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ofir Davidzada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Niv Yehoshua
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Javon East
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Amir Ganah
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
João Victor
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mohammad Kna'an
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Adrián Ugarriza
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +8
P: 3 GD: +8
P: 3 GD: +7
P: 3 GD: +6
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +7
P: 3 GD: +6
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -7
P: 3 GD: -8
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -6
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
AZ Alkmaar
Hapoel Beer Sheva
AZ Alkmaar
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Late Penalty Drama Secures Dutch Triumph
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 75/100. A controversial late VAR review and a perfectly executed super-sub intervention turned a tense European stalemate into a crucial victory for the Dutch hosts.
The Opening Act
The match began under the bright lights of AFAS Stadion with the hosts looking to impose their will early on. The Dutch side immediately controlled possession, putting their stamp on the tempo and passing the ball with purpose. Despite enjoying 58% of the ball and creating numerous attacking sequences, they encountered a resilient defensive block. The Balance of power remained strictly even throughout the opening 45 minutes as both goalkeepers put on a clinic, eventually combining for eight crucial saves over the night. The Israeli visitors absorbed the early pressure intelligently, waiting for counter-attacking opportunities while frustrating the home crowd. It was a classic European chess match, with neither side willing to blink first in a highly tactical first half that kept the scoreboard locked at a scoreless draw.
The Pivot
Everything changed immediately after the restart. The tactical shackles finally came off in the 49th minute when Peer Koopmeiners breached the visiting defense, finishing off a brilliant sequence sparked by Valdemar Byskov Andreasen. However, the celebration inside the stadium was incredibly short-lived. A sudden surge in Intensity saw Hapoel Beer Sheva strike right back just six minutes later. A sweeping forward move found Forson Amankwah inside the box, and he made no mistake in leveling the score. This rapid exchange of goals blew the match wide open, turning a methodical contest into a breathless, end-to-end affair. With momentum wildly shifting back and forth, the pitch became a chaotic battleground where every loose ball felt like a potential match-winning moment.
Resolution
The dramatic climax arrived in the 75th minute when the video assistant referee took center stage. After a tense review involving Bendegúz Kovács, the officials confirmed a controversial penalty for the home side. The Stakes could not have been higher. Managerial genius then played its part as Mexx Meerdink was thrown into the fray. Barely a minute after stepping onto the pitch, the super-sub took the ball, stared down the goalkeeper, and buried the spot-kick in the 77th minute to seal a 2-1 victory for AZ Alkmaar. The visitors pushed incredibly hard for a second equalizer in the dying moments, but the Dutch defense slammed the door shut, securing their first three points of the league stage.
Key Questions
How did substitute P. Koopmeiners change the game?
Though starting the match, Koopmeiners completely shifted the momentum by breaking the deadlock in the 49th minute with a clinical finish to open the scoring.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
One-Sided Affairs in Alkmaar
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 20/100. A heavily lopsided matchup offers little intrigue for neutrals, as AZ Alkmaar should comfortably roll over a defensive Hapoel side.
The Setup
AZ Alkmaar suffered a frustrating defeat in their European opener, leaving them sitting 25th in the standings and currently outside the vital top-24 playoff line. They return to the AFAS Stadion desperate to secure maximum points against an 18th-placed Hapoel Beer Sheva side that ground out a draw in their first outing. A low Stakes rating reflects the early nature of this League Stage phase. With a massive probability gap in the pre-match odds heavily favoring the Dutch outfit, the competitive Balance of this fixture is undeniably poor. AZ will rely on C. Stengs and V. Byskov to orchestrate the attack, though a modest Stars metric indicates a distinct lack of global marquee talent on the pitch. The underlying Form of both sides is sluggish, pointing toward a methodical, potentially grinding contest on October 15, 2026.
Key Battle
AZ's creative midfield unit faces a grueling test of patience against a deep-lying, stubborn Hapoel Beer Sheva backline. The visitors will likely arrive with instructions to park the bus and restrict space in the final third. The Dutch hosts must find ways to pick the lock rather than relying on rapid transition speeds, demanding sharp passing and quick lateral movement.
Our Prediction
AZ Alkmaar 2-0 Hapoel Beer Sheva. The home side is expected to monopolize possession and completely dictate the tempo of the match. While the Israeli side's defensive block might hold firm during a quiet and frustrating first half, AZ's relentless pressure will eventually wear them down. Expect the hosts to find the crucial breakthrough after the interval.