AZ managed to score a point with some luck when visiting Heerenveen. The ten team (due to a red card from Denso Kasius) played 2-2 in the final phase after a colossal error by Andries Noppert.
Before the match even started, there was a temporary strike. Spectators threw fireworks onto the field from the away section. It led to a strike lasting just over fifteen minutes. The rest of the first half mainly saw proverbial fireworks on the field. Almost out of nowhere, Vangelis Pavlidis (who else) scored the opening goal.
He headed a delicate cross from Denso Kasius into the goal: 0-1. That lead was gone within five minutes. Jordy Clasie unfortunately beat his own goalkeeper after an assist from Patrik Wålemark. Kasius committed a stupid foul on Pawel Bochniewicz just before half-time and was sent off after VAR interference.
Youngsters Wouter Goes and Ernest Poku came on at the start of the second half. They saw that AZ fell behind in no time. After a good move by Osame Sahraoui, Luuk Brouwers was able to score freely: 2-1. The scorer was able to score again a few minutes later. This time the effort ended in the hands of goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
Substitute Poku had the greatest opportunity for AZ to equalize. He shot on the outside of the post after a nice dribble. For a long time, the chance of a victory for Heerenveen seemed closer than an equalizer. It came with some fortune after a miscommunication between Noppert and Bochniewicz: 2-2.
Due to AZ’s draw, the Alkmaarders are only one point ahead of Ajax. Feyenoord will be AZ’s opponent next Sunday (from 2:30 PM).
AZ setup: Owusu-Oduro; Kasius, Penetra, Bazoer (Odgaard/80), Møller Wolfe; Clasie, Mijnans (M. De Wit/80), D. De Wit (Poku/46); Lahdo (Goes/46), Pavlidis, Van Brederode (Van Bommel/69)