AZ 1-2 Juventus: Koopmeiners and Kolo Muani score
Juventus beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 at the AFAS Stadion on Thursday 5 November 2026 (21:00 WAT kick-off) in matchday four of the Europa League league phase. Teun Koopmeiners scored against his boyhood club on 19 minutes and Randal Kolo Muani made it 2-0 on 37, before Mexx Meerdink pulled one back on 88.
By Emily · · Updated
What happened in AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Juventus?
Juventus won 2-1 away at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night. The 21:00 WAT kick-off at the AFAS Stadion drew 18,954, according to BBC Sport, and Juventus led 2-0 at half-time through Teun Koopmeiners and Randal Kolo Muani. Mexx Meerdink scored late for AZ. The Juventus match report says the Bianconeri now have 10 points from their first four Europa League games under Luciano Spalletti.
How did Koopmeiners and Kolo Muani score?
Five minutes in, Nick Woltemade played Kolo Muani through and his shot grazed the post, Juventus said. On nine minutes Pape Matar Sarr tried from distance and won a corner after a deflection. On 19 minutes Kolo Muani turned, burst down the right and picked out Koopmeiners, who finished low with his left foot. Flashscore notes Koopmeiners did not celebrate against the side where he spent 12 years as a youth player and young professional. Around the half-hour Kerim Alajbegović whistled a right-footed shot just past the post, the club report said. On 37 Kolo Muani won the ball back, exchanged passes with Woltemade and finished first-time with his left foot for 2-0. BBC Sport credits the assists to Kolo Muani (19) and Woltemade (37).
How did AZ respond?
Peer Koopmeiners headed just wide before the break under heavy pressure, Flashscore said. Early in the second half AZ goalkeeper Jari De Busser played the ball to Teun Koopmeiners, who laid it off for Alajbegović, but De Busser saved the one-on-one, per Juventus. On 65 minutes Wesley Hoedt, a first-half substitute, blocked Federico Gatti as the Juventus defender shaped to shoot. AZ dominated possession after the break — GOAL puts them on 56 percent and 18 shots — but rarely troubled Guglielmo Vicario until the 88th minute, when Meerdink tapped in Elijah Dijkstra's cutback. An apparent stoppage-time equaliser was ruled out for offside in the build-up, Flashscore reported, and Kees Smit earlier blazed a good chance over the bar.
What did the brothers' duel look like?
Flashscore framed the night as a battle of the Koopmeiners brothers. Teun opened the scoring against his boyhood club and declined to celebrate; Peer came closest to halving the deficit before half-time with a header that went just wide. Our midweek board had flagged that pairing: Spalletti had described Peer as the player who often dictates AZ's switch between a back three and a back four or five, while Teun had told Juventus media he was a midfielder first. Both roles showed. Teun finished inside the box from Kolo Muani's cut-back; Peer stayed a threat from set pieces and open play without finding the net.
Where does this leave both clubs?
BBC Sport's Europa League table after Thursday lists Juventus fifth on 10 points and AZ 14th on six. Flashscore says the defeat ends AZ's 17-match unbeaten home run in Europe (14 wins, three draws) since a 4-1 loss to Aston Villa in October 2023, and is a first loss in six meetings with Italian opposition. Juventus have now scored at least twice in nine of their last 11 European games, the same report adds. GOAL called Kolo Muani the fulcrum of a clinical first half that put the contest out of reach before AZ's late surge.
TuSport desk: what changed from our pre-match board
Our Thursday afternoon preview listed Teun Koopmeiners facing his brother Peer, Spalletti without 11 players by Gazzetta's count, and Kolo Muani as a likely starter. All three calls held. Teun scored the opener against the club where he spent 12 years as a youth player and young professional, and Flashscore says he declined to celebrate. Peer headed just wide before half-time under pressure. Kolo Muani started, assisted the first goal and scored the second, matching Spalletti's midweek hint that he "could start the match".
The bigger board item was AZ's home European run. Our preview carried Juventus's own count of 17 home games unbeaten (14 wins, three draws). That run ended on Thursday. Flashscore also marks it as AZ's first loss in six meetings with Italian sides. Juventus move to 10 points from four games and sit fifth in the league phase, BBC Sport's table shows, inside the top eight that go straight to the last 16.
For readers following both Thursday boards, Milan had already fallen 0-2 to Ferencváros at 18:45 WAT. Juventus's late-wave win at 21:00 WAT puts the Italian clubs on opposite Europa League paths overnight: Milan on three points, Juventus on ten.
Why it matters
Juventus sit inside the top eight on 10 points after four games, on course for a direct last-16 place, while AZ drop to 14th on six. Follow the Juventus, Eredivisie and Serie A hubs and the WAT kick-off times guide. Read our reports on Genoa's win over Juventus and Kamaldeen Sulemana's return at Atalanta.
Sources: Juventus — Koopmeiners scores as the Bianconeri beat AZ Alkmaar · Flashscore — Juventus hold on to beat AZ in battle of the Koopmeiners brothers · BBC Sport — AZ Alkmaar v Juventus · Goal — Juventus player ratings vs AZ Alkmaar: Randal Kolo Muani and Teun Koopmeiners punish Dutch hosts in efficient victory
