AZ Alkmaar produced one of the comebacks of the season in the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie, beating FC Groningen 4-3 at the AFAS Stadion in Alkmaar on Sunday, 8 November 2026 - Matchday 12.
Groningen led 1-0 after 2 minutes. Then 3-1 after 54 minutes. AZ looked dead. Then Mexx Meerdink took over. A goal, an assist, a missed penalty, and then a winning penalty in the 91st minute. 7 goals, 2 red cards, pure Eredivisie chaos.
Watch the full highlights: AZ Alkmaar 4-3 FC Groningen - Ondrejka 2', Meerdink 9' + 90+1' (pen), Willumsson 47', Van Bergen 54', Oufkir 61', Chávez 76' - Eredivisie Matchday 12.
AZ Alkmaar 4-3 FC Groningen - Match Summary
| Competition | VriendenLoterij Eredivisie - Matchday 12 |
| Date | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
| Stadium | AFAS Stadion, Alkmaar |
| Final Score | AZ Alkmaar 4-3 FC Groningen |
| Half-Time | 1-1 |
Goals Timeline - 7 Goals In 90 Minutes
2' - GOAL Groningen 0-1 - Jacob Ondrejka
Worst possible start for AZ. After just 2 minutes, Ondrejka headed home from very close range. 0-1. AFAS Stadion silenced.
9' - GOAL AZ 1-1 - Mexx Meerdink
Instant response. Ro-Zangelo Daal found Meerdink, who finished to level it. 1-1. Game on.
47' - GOAL Groningen 1-2 - Brynjólfur Willumsson
Second half, same nightmare. Ondrejka turned provider, Willumsson scored. Groningen back in front.
54' - GOAL Groningen 1-3 - Thom Van Bergen
AZ collapsed. Van Bergen made it 1-3. At this point, Groningen had one hand on 3 points. AZ looked lost.
61' - GOAL AZ 2-3 - Ayoub Oufkir
The comeback started. Meerdink turned provider this time, Oufkir finished. 2-3. Hope returned to Alkmaar.
76' - GOAL AZ 3-3 - Mateo Chávez
Chávez with a left-footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box. 3-3. AFAS Stadion exploded. Groningen were falling apart.
90+1' - GOAL AZ 4-3 - Mexx Meerdink (PENALTY)
Drama. Penalty for AZ in stoppage time. Meerdink stepped up and converted with a left-footed shot to the top right corner. 4-3. The comeback was complete.
Match Stats - AZ Dominated, Groningen Punished
| AZ Alkmaar | Stat | FC Groningen |
| 58% | Possession | 42% |
| 19 | Total Shots | 9 |
| 5 | Shots On Target | 5 |
| 7 | Corners | 0 |
| 4 | Goals | 3 |
AZ had 19 shots, 58% possession and 7 corners to 0. Groningen were clinical with 5 shots on target = 3 goals, but they could not hold on.
Tactical Analysis - Why AZ Won
1. AZ never stopped attacking
Even at 1-3 down after 54 minutes, AZ kept pushing. 19 shots tells the story. They did not panic, they increased the tempo, and Groningen could not cope with the pressure.
2. Meerdink was everywhere
2 goals + 1 assist. He scored the equaliser, assisted the comeback goal for Oufkir, and scored the winner from the penalty spot. This was a one-man show.
3. Groningen collapsed after 60 minutes
Groningen led 3-1 and lost 4-3. They stopped pressing, sat too deep, and invited AZ on. And then the discipline went: Etienne Vaessen sent off in the 88th minute, Hans Hateboer sent off in the 90+10' minute. Groningen finished with 9 men.
Player Ratings
AZ Alkmaar:
Mexx Meerdink 9.5 - Man of the Match. 2 goals + 1 assist + winning penalty. Ayoub Oufkir 8 - Started the comeback. Mateo Chávez 8 - The equaliser that changed everything. Ro-Zangelo Daal 7.5 - Assist for the first goal.
FC Groningen:
Jacob Ondrejka 8 - 1 goal + 1 assist, but not enough. Brynjólfur Willumsson 7.5 - Goal to make it 1-2. Thom Van Bergen 7.5 - Goal to make it 1-3. Etienne Vaessen 4 - Sent off at 88'. Hans Hateboer 4 - Sent off at 90+10'.
What This Result Means
For AZ Alkmaar:
Huge win. AZ move to 5th place on 23 points after 12 games, right in the fight for European places. Winning a game you were losing 1-3 after 54 minutes changes a season. This is the kind of win that builds belief.
For FC Groningen:
Devastating. Groningen stay 9th on 15 points. To lead 1-0 after 2 minutes, 3-1 after 54 minutes, and lose 4-3 with two players sent off - this will hurt for weeks. They need to learn how to manage a lead.
What's Next?
AZ Alkmaar: Momentum is everything - Can they build on this comeback and push for the top 4?
FC Groningen: Must bounce back - How do you recover from losing a 3-1 lead in 35 minutes?
Was this the best comeback of the Eredivisie season so far? Tell us in the comments.
Source: Official match data - VriendenLoterij Eredivisie - Matchday 12 - 8 November 2026.
Comments
Post a Comment