Teun Koopmeiners scored against his boyhood club to help deliver a 2-1 win for Juventus in the UEFA Europa League, against an AZ Alkmaar side containing his younger brother Peer.
Juventus fashioned the first real opening, as Newcastle United loanee Nick Woltemade sent Randal Kolo Muani scampering through on goal, but the Frenchman pulled his effort narrowly wide.
Chances were at a real premium, and neither side mustered a shot on target until the 19th minute, but that was all it took to break the deadlock. There was an air of inevitability about the identity of the scorer, and Koopmeiners declined to celebrate against the side where he spent 12 years as a youth player and young professional.
Kerim Alajbegovic came close to doubling the advantage, flashing an excellent effort over the crossbar from the edge of the area. However, AZ gradually began to summon a response, and a wicked cross from Mees de Wit was crying out for some convincing contact in the middle. Guglielmo Vicario then had to adjust quickly to deal with an effort that had deflected off fellow Tottenham Hotspur loanee Pape Matar Sarr.
Yet just as the hosts were threatening an equaliser, Kolo Muani did brilliantly to hustle and harry the Cheese Farmers’ defence, stealing the ball and unerringly finding the bottom corner following an exchange of passes with Woltemade.
Peer Koopmeiners came closest to halving the deficit before the break, nodding his effort just wide under heavy pressure, but he went in at half-time trailing his brother’s side by two goals.
Into the second half, Alajbegovic could have put the contest beyond all doubt when Jari De Busser ceded possession cheaply, but the AZ goalkeeper did just enough to atone for his mistake. Juventus kept on coming, and it took a last-ditch tackle from first-half substitute Wesley Hoedt to keep the home side’s fading hopes intact.
But Leeroy Echteld’s men could not capitalise on their lifeline, and rarely managed to threaten Vicario’s goal for much of the half, as Kees Smit blazed a particularly good chance well over the crossbar. Mexx Meerdink tapped in Elijah Dijkstra’s fine cutback to briefly rekindle hope in the 88th minute, before AZ appeared to have found a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, but an offside in the build-up cut the celebrations short.
Defeat puts an end to an impressive 17-match unbeaten run at home in Europe for the Dutch side (W14, D3), while it also represents a first loss in six meetings with Italian opposition (W4, D1). The Old Lady have now scored at least twice in nine of their last 11 European encounters, strengthening their hold on a place in the top eight of the league phase table.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus)
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