AZ STOP FORTUNA GOOD RUN

AZ Alkmaar are still in serious contention for a place in Europe’s premier club competition next season following the narrow win over Fortuna Sittard at home at the weekend. AZ Alkmaar finished the Dutch Eredivisie encounter with ten men but that didn’t stop them from securing a vital win in the Champions League race with PSV Eindhoven.

Albert Gudmundsson scored the only goal of the game to give 10-man AZ Alkmaar a 1-0 win at home to in-form Fortuna Sittard. Icelandic international Gudmundsson has three goals in 20 games for his country and he was responsible for the winning goal of the game. His spot kick just before the half hour mark was enough to win the game for the hosts.

Gudmundsson scored on 29minutes for the hosts and they were able to maintain that advantage until the end of the match after Ramon Leeuwin was sent off at the start of the second half.Leeuwin came on for the injured Dutch defender Timo Letschert inside the first fifteen minutes before he was giving his matching orders in the second half.

The slender win over Fortuna Sittard on Saturday ensured that AZ Alkmaar moved above PSV Eindhoven into second place but PSV Eindhoven have been able to reclaim second place back with the away win over Willem II. PSV defeated their hosts 2-0 with goals in each half from Dutch striker Donyall Malen and Derrick Kohn (own goal).

The win over Willem II moved PSV Eindhoven back into second place and one point ahead of Alkmaar ahead of the final two games of the season.

PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar are fighting for the right to finish in second place behind already crowned champions Ajax Amsterdam. Second place guarantees a spot in the Champions League qualifiers in the new season. PSV face PEC Zwolle (home) and FC Utrecht (away) in their final two matches this season, while AZ Alkmaar play Groningen (away) and Heracles (home) in their final two league games this season.