AZ Alkmaar host Hapoel Be'er Sheva in first meeting between the clubs
AZ Alkmaar, 25th in the Europa League table with 0 points after one game, host Hapoel Be'er Sheva, 18th with 1 point, in matchday 2. The clubs have never played each other before, and the hosts come into the game after a 0–2 defeat to Feyenoord.
Automatically translated from Polish · AI-generated from GolVolt data and the sources listed below the article
The clubs' first meeting
AZ and Hapoel Be'er Sheva have never played each other before. The match in Alkmaar will therefore be the first in the history of the two clubs, with no earlier results to refer to. The two sides meet for the first time in matchday 2 of the Europa League league phase. With no shared history, only current data says anything about the balance of power: league position, recent matches, rest and squads. That is where we start our look at both teams before this game.
AZ after the defeat in Rotterdam
The hosts return to European competition after a league defeat. AZ Alkmaar lost 0–2 to Feyenoord in Rotterdam. That result cost the team the lead in the Eredivisie table and their unbeaten league record. It was AZ's last match before the game against Hapoel, played in the Eredivisie. Five days have passed since then, so the hosts have had a short break and have only just closed the chapter on their unbeaten league run.
Absentees on both sides
AZ Alkmaar cannot count on four players. Hobie Verhulst is suspended, while Stije Resink, Jizz Hornkamp and Kees Smit are injured. The visitors are also missing three players. Yoan Stoyanov is suspended, and Dan Biton and Itay Rotman are injured. For both managers, that means picking a team without several names who would normally come into consideration for the starting eleven.
Five days versus 29 days
The two teams come into the match with very different recent schedules. AZ Alkmaar are 5 days on from their previous game, which they played in the Eredivisie. Hapoel Be'er Sheva are 29 days on from their previous match, which was an appearance in the Europa League. The visitors have therefore had a much longer break, and their last game was in the same competition in which they will now play in Alkmaar.
The lower half of the Europa League table
In the Europa League table, AZ Alkmaar are 25th with 0 points after 1 game. Hapoel Be'er Sheva are 18th with 1 point after 1 game. Both teams have played one game, and the visitors are seven places higher. In similar past matches, where the gap in strength between the teams was close to this one, the home side won 42%, 27% ended in a draw, and the away side won 31%. There were 7090 such matches across all leagues, and at least three goals were scored in 51% of them.
An empty away section
Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans will not be admitted to the match in Alkmaar. The away section will stay empty, so the visitors will play without their own supporters in the stands. AZ Alkmaar against Hapoel Be'er Sheva is a matchday 2 Europa League game, with AZ as the hosts. For the visitors, it will be their first match in 29 days.
