Koopmeiners scores at former club as Juventus beat AZ 2-1 despite trailing on expected goals
Juventus won 2-1 at AZ Alkmaar on a night when Teun Koopmeiners faced his old club, even though the hosts dominated the expected-goals count. The result strengthens their league-phase position ahead of Sunday's Serie A trip to Fiorentina.
The trip to Alkmaar returned Teun Koopmeiners to his former club. His brother Peer was in the AZ side that Juventus then held off. UEFA picked out the family meeting in its matchday 4 round-up.
Koopmeiners opened the scoring in the 19th minute from a Kolo Muani pass. Kolo Muani doubled the lead in the 37th minute, with Nick Woltemade credited with the assist, and Juventus led 2-0 at half-time. Kolo Muani earned a rating of 8.61 from the data provider, with Koopmeiners on 8.2.
AZ pulled one back in the 88th minute. Mexx Meerdink scored from an Elijah Dijkstra assist. The hosts could not find an equaliser in the remaining minutes.
AZ controlled the ball but Juventus protected their lead
The home side had 56% of possession. They completed 523 passes to Juventus’s 378. Eleven of AZ’s attempts were blocked, against three of Juventus’s.
Both teams put three shots on target. Vicario made two saves for Juventus. AZ’s expected goals total points to the chances the hosts created without converting them.
The figures are consistent with a Juventus side defending a first-half lead. Spalletti’s team committed 20 fouls to AZ’s 13. Andrea Cambiaso, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal were booked for Juventus. Wesley Hoedt was the only AZ player shown a yellow card. Damian Sylwestrzak refereed the match.
A second straight win lifts Spalletti’s side to fifth
The victory was Spalletti’s second in a row in all competitions, following the league win over Napoli. It came after a run that included a 0-2 defeat to Genoa and a 0-3 loss to Lazio. Koopmeiners now has four goals for Juventus in all competitions in 2026, one more than the three he scored for the club in 2025, Sky Sport Italia noted.
For AZ, the result was a third straight defeat in all competitions. Losses to Ajax and Twente came before Thursday’s game.
This season’s league phase has 36 clubs, and each plays eight different opponents. It ends on Thursday 28 January 2027. Juventus host Omonia Nicosia on 26 November at 21:00 CET, while AZ travel to Sparta Praha. Juventus then visit Hapoel Beer-Sheva on 10 December and Ferencváros on 21 January 2027, both at 18:45 CET. They finish at home to Real Sociedad on 28 January 2027 at 21:00 CET.
Serie A comes first. Juventus travel to Fiorentina for matchday 11 on Sunday 8 November, with kick-off at 20:45. AZ host Groningen in the Eredivisie on the same day.
