AZ Take Commanding Step Toward Conference League Knockouts
AZ Alkmaar’s trip to Kosovo turned into exactly the kind of night they needed, as a confident and well-controlled 3–0 win over Drita all but pushed them toward the Europa Conference League knockout phase. And honestly, from the opening minutes, it felt like AZ were determined to stamp their authority on the game.
Drita came into the match dreaming big. A win at home would have guaranteed them a top-24 spot and written another proud chapter in Kosovo’s young European football history. But despite that motivation, it was AZ that settled early, spent most of the first quarter-hour in Drita’s half, and eventually produced the breakthrough that had been coming.
Just 17 minutes in, a simple yet sharp move sliced Drita open. Kees Smit carried the ball forward, slipped a neat pass to Isak Jensen, and the Danish youngster unselfishly squared it across the box for Sven Mijnans to tap in. It was a straightforward finish, but one that perfectly reflected AZ’s early control.
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Drita did have a moment when they felt a penalty should have been awarded—Smit’s handball on the very edge of the box looked close—but the referee waved it off, and that scare barely slowed AZ down. Wesley Patati remained a constant irritation for Drita’s defence, making dangerous runs and forcing Besnik Krasniqi into a crucial block. AZ kept creating, even if their finishing before the break didn’t quite match their buildup play.
The second half began with more of the same, but this time it was Jensen who decided the spotlight was his. After a patient, controlled passing sequence, Smit nudged the ball sideways to Jensen near the edge of the area. Drita’s defenders backed off just enough for him to unleash a bouncing shot that sped past Faton Maloku, leaving the keeper rooted. That strike not only doubled AZ’s lead but officially ended Drita’s clean defensive record in the competition.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Mamadou Soumahoro crashed into Smit with a reckless challenge, earning a yellow card that will now keep him out of their daunting final matchday trip to Rayo Vallecano. From there, the game drifted toward its conclusion without much resistance.
But AZ weren’t quite finished. As the clock hit 90 minutes, Mees de Wit whipped in a brilliant cross, and Ibrahim Sadiq rose well to head home a tidy third goal—an exclamation point on a thoroughly professional away performance.
With a home match against Jagiellonia still to come, AZ suddenly find themselves in a strong position to chase an automatic Round of 16 spot. Drita, however, now face a steep climb, their hopes fading after a night where little went right.
It was Mijnans who deservedly walked away as Man of the Match, but really, AZ’s entire performance signaled a team hitting form at exactly the right moment.
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