Yet again, that man Van der Linden steps in, this time to deny Raul Garcia. Laporte makes his way up for a corner, but the Frenchman can't quite make his aerial ability count. Plenty of black shirts are being left forward, but it only makes it easier for Van Overeem to take the ball into the corner.
90' +2
Williams scampers away on the right, chasing a looping pass, but Van der Linden rises above the substitute to head the ball into touch! The tall defender has been vital when AZ have tried to hang on during the past 10 minutes.
90'
G. Coutinho gets yellow.
There are four minutes of stoppage time left in the Netherlands.
89'
Herrerin claims a free-kick delivery above Van der Linden, with the goalkeeper immediately trying to kick start a counter. Aduriz has a late chance, but the aforementioned defender intervenes and concedes a corner. Boveda meets it, but can't get a close-range header on target!
87'
T. Haye enters the game and replaces D. dos Santos.
Haye is introduced for the final few minutes, with the very impressive Dos Santos replaced. The 19-year-old has given a good account of himself in European football. Only a couple of red shirts are being stationed in offensive positions now, with the rest of Van den Brom's men deployed in deeper areas.
85'
Only five minutes are left on the clock, with Athletic Club putting on plenty of pressure. The AZ penalty area is under siege, with a couple of corners coming to nothing for the visitors. Moments later, Raul Garcia runs possession out of play, with the home fans cheering loudly.
83'
The visitors break down the right, with Williams going down in the box! The youngster looks at the referee with disbelief, but it would have been a very soft decision! The same man tries to make something happen moments later, but hooks an ambitious over-head kick effort just beyond the far upright!
81'
Williams causes some problems! The substitute outmuscles Haps, before riding a challenge from Coutinho! He manages to earn a throw in on the right-hand side, with Athletic Club maintaining some late pressure. The same man is picked out by a back-post cross, but he heads well wide of the target!
79'
Boveda runs the ball out of play down the right-hand side, with the right-back continuing to try and atone for his unfortunate earlier error. His assist for Aduriz's goal has gone halfway to doing so, but the Basque side need a second to claw a point from the jaws of defeat.
78'
A. Jahanbakhsh enters the game and replaces V. Janssen.
Minute
Description
77'
The hosts choose to wind down the clock with a few couple of changes, with AZ attempting to hold onto the ball to run down some minutes too. Athletic Club have their tails up, however, with the away side taking great confidence from Aduriz's second-half strike.
76'
D. Luckassen enters the game and replaces M. Tankovic.
75'
Aduriz has scored a goal for Athletic Bilbao! Assist by Bóveda.
GOOOOOOOOOOOAL! ADURIZ MAKES IT 2-1! Williams and Aduriz combine, with Valverde's substitutes having an effect! Boveda strokes a pass into the experienced striker, who curls an emphatic finish into the top right-hand corner! Suddenly, things are interesting!
74'
Van den Brom's side are happy to sit a little bit deeper now, given that Los Leones have to try and find at least two goals in the final quarter of an hour to have any chance of sharing the spoils. A free kick is whipped in from the left for Athletic Club, but the hosts clear.
73'
Haps does brilliantly to deny a dangerous run from Williams, with AZ continuing to weather the storm nicely. Boveda looks for Aduriz with a back-post cross, but Johansson rises above the substitute to put the ball behind for a corner - that Coutinho claims simply.
71'
Raúl García gets yellow.
The aforementioned corner is comfortably claimed by Herrerin, with Athletic Club immediately looking to get forward and cause some problems. The more black shirts that are committed forward, however, the more potent the combination of Haps and Dos Santos will become down the AZ left.
69'
Nothing is going right for Valverde's men! That second goal for AZ is perhaps a little undeserved, especially given how it went in, but the home fans don't care! Johansson drives to the right byline, before cutting a cross into the box, but Herrerin parries it behind for a corner. Safety first.
67'
Aduriz scampers in behind the hosts' defence, before a cut back from the substitute skips through a ruck of bodies. Williams is presented with possession in the box moments later, but the youngster can't get a shot away! The home team break, with Herrerin forced into a simple stop as a result.
65'
Bóveda is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
GOOOOOOOOOOOAL! HAPS MAKES IT 2-0 TO AZ! Tankovic gets to the left byline, before teeing up Haps. The left-back scampers on an overlapping run beyond his teammate, before lashing a dipping effort over Herrerin and in from the tightest of angles! It took a wicked deflection off Boveda and will surely go down as an own goal.
63'
Aduriz enters the game and replaces Kike Sola.
Raúl García enters the game and replaces Iturraspe.
Both Aduriz and Raul Garcia are introduced for the away side, with Valverde clearly meaning business now. Iturraspe and Sola are sacrificed, with the aforementioned duo not having long to make an impact. Athletic Club win a corner on the left, but the ex-Atletico substitute can't make contact at the near post, despite rising well.
61'
Only half an hour is left on the clock in the Netherlands, with Athletic Club looking to be making Group L much more complicated for themselves at the moment. Tankovic and Janssen look to combine, with a flick on from the former almost looping towards the latter. Aduriz is being readied, alongside Raul Garcia.
59'
Laporte does well under pressure to deny Janssen, with the young Frenchman outmuscling the Dutch forward brilliantly. The home fans want a free kick, but the Athletic Club man just used his body intelligently.
57'
I. Williams enters the game and replaces Ager Aketxe.
Suddenly, Athletic Club have a whole lot more to do. Aketxe leaves the field of play, with Williams coming back into first-team action after some recent injury problems. The youngster will be looking to inspire Los Leones towards a more explosive final half an hour in Alkmaar!
55'
M. Henriksen has scored a goal for AZ! Assist by M. Tankovic.
GOOOOOOOOOOOAL! HENRIKSEN GIVES THE HOSTS THE LEAD! The Norwegian midfielder strokes a confident finish beyond Herrerin, after being slid in behind the visiting back four well by Tankovic. Valverde immediately signals towards Williams on his bench. Good counter attack from the Eredivisie club, with Athletic Club testing Coutinho merely seconds earlier.
54'
Iturraspe now picks up a booking, with the Spaniard kicking out at Henriksen as the Norwegian looked to progress down the right flank. The 23-year-old gingerly gets back to his feet as a result. Van der Linden whips in the free kick, but it is hacked away by the first man.
53'
Iturraspe gets yellow.
52'
Athletic Club win a free kick, which Aketxe lifts into the penalty box. The delivery is far too close to Coutinho, who gobbles the ball up with consummate ease. The visitors are looking a little more upbeat in the second half, with Valverde still having Aduriz and Raul Garcia in reserve.
50'
Gurpegi gets yellow.
Gurpegi is given a yellow card for tugging down Janssen cynically, with the referee having to dip into his book on a few occasions already this side of the break. Moments later, AZ tried to claim for a penalty due to a suspected handball, but there didn't look to be anything in it.
48'
Johansson picks up a yellow card for a poor challenge, with the right-back diving into a risky tackle on Iturraspe. Moments later, Eraso is fed in down the right channel, but Van der Linden steps across his man physically to shepherd the ball behind for a goal kick.
47'
M. Johansson gets yellow.
46'
We are back underway in the second half at AZ Stadion! Both sides have had their chances, but this game remains very firmly in the balance at 0-0!
44'
Eraso sprints away on the break, but Van der Linden steps out to deny an attempted through ball into the path of Sola. AZ respond with a break of their own, but Dos Santos can only poke an attempt horrendous wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the penalty area.
42'
Sola tries to flick a header in behind Van der Linden, but Aketxe can't quite manage to catch up with it. Athletic Club's approach play has been a case of not quite, thus far. Some good ideas from the away side, but the execution hasn't quite been there for Los Leones.
40'
Offside once again! This time it is Janssen who is the culprit, with the striker straying just a yard beyond the line of Boveda. Only five minutes remain until the break, with the visitors perhaps just about edging it in terms of good chances. Coutinho has made two very good saves, however.
38'
Aketxe is denied this time! Coutinho dives full stretch to his right, with the Dutchman pushing an effort from the midfielder around the post! Moments earlier, Mikel Rico broke into the penalty area, but didn't have the space required to unleash a close-range attempt.
36'
AZ try their luck down the left flank yet again, but Janssen is denied by a sliding tackle from Gurpegi. The combination of Dos Santos and Haps has looked dangerous, but Rienstra's strike from the edge of the box remains the only occasion where the hosts have had Herrerin fearing the worst!
34'
Aketxe drifts in from the right-hand side, before Sola is fed into the penalty area! However, yet again, the striker is pulled back by the linesman for offside. Valverde might have to bring the likes of Aduriz and Raul Garcia into the game to find an opener. Viguera shoots from 20 yards out, but Coutinho saves easily.
32'
Space opens up for Eraso on the edge of the box! Nobody closes the midfielder, who has all of the time in the world in order to unleash a strike! Coutinho spills it out to his right and behind for an Athletic Club corner. The resulting set piece is headed half clear, before Iturraspe puts a terrible pass out of play.
30'
Moments later, a hooked AZ effort towards the back post is hacked off the line by Lekue! The hosts will be wondering how they aren't ahead, following a flurry of great chances. Athletic Club counter, but Eraso is slowed and then dispossessed by a combination of both Haps and Dos Santos.
29'
WHAT A HIT! AZ almost get in behind yet again, but Gurpegi covers across brilliantly to nod a clearance into touch! The hosts keep the pressure on, with a shot from the edge of the box thundering onto the woodwork! Rienstra lets fly, but the crossbar denies him!
27'
Clear-cut chances have been hard to come by in the opening half an hour, but Janssen tries to flick a pass around the corner for Dos Santos to chase! The young midfielder has the legs to beat Gurpegi, but the experienced defender gets his body in between his opponent and the ball well. An easy free kick to win.
25'
Johansson is found overlapping down the right-hand side, but a cross from the Swedish defender is easily cut out by Laporte! Athletic Club try to respond immediately, but their counter attack peters out. AZ really should have made the most of their right-back having so much space to pick out a cross, there.
23'
Athletic Club win themselves a corner on the left-hand side, but AZ clear with ease. The hosts break forward on the counter, but Haps and Tankovic can't make anything happen. Herrerin has been very busy thus far, coming off his line to mop up anything in behind his back four. Sola, meanwhile, is struggling up top for the visitors.
21'
The opening 20 minutes have been competitive, with both sides managing to force a lot of mistakes from their opponents. Haps causes problems down the left once again with his pace, but a pass into Janssen doesn't cause any problems. AZ lift a cross into the box from the left, but Herrerin is confident enough to lumber out and claim it!
19'
Another chance for Athletic Club! Eraso makes a nuisance of himself, with the summer signing sprinting into the opposition penalty area in order to meet a flick on from Sola! Unfortunately for Valverde's men, both a poor first touch and the offside flag deny the midfielder.
17'
Sola is slotted down the line, courtesy of a powerful clearance from Boveda! The ex-Osasuna man is caught narrowly offside, however, with the linesman very quick to raise his flag. Moments later, AZ are penalised. Janssen backed into and fouled Gurpegi with a raised arm.
15'
Herrerin is given the ball in a high-pressure situation once again, with Laporte's back pass a little light! Despite Janssen closing him down quickly, the goalkeeper takes a good touch to the side before lashing a clearance away! Plenty of questions being asked of both sides' shot stoppers early on.
13'
Good stop from Coutinho! Sola is picked out in the penalty area by a deflected cross-cum-shot from Iturraspe! The former Osasuna striker manages to turn an effort goalwards on the slide, but the hosts' goalkeeper palms the strike away well! Moments later, Viguera lines up a shot from the left flank, but he can only put the ball into the stands.
11'
Sola takes a neat touch to turn his man, before slotting possession into Iturraspe. Play is switch out to the left, with Aketxe teeing up Lekue, but the left-back sends a terrible effort a considerable distance high and wide of the target. Promising signs from Los Leones, however, with their travelling supporters looking a little more encouraged now!
9'
A nervy first touch from Gouweleeuw shows that the personnel on show tonight just might be a little bit nervous. Aketxe scampers down the left-hand side for Los Leones, but the diminutive midfielder is outmuscled easily by Johansson. Athletic Club are pressing well and forcing early mistakes.
7'
The Dutch club attack down the right-hand side, before a long pass is hooked into Janssen! The young striker takes the ball down, perhaps with the top of his arm, but can only lash a low finish directly at Herrerin. First half chance goes to AZ! Moments later, Haps races down the left flank, but runs possession straight out of play at the byline due to a poor touch.
5'
AZ win themselves a free kick in a dangerous area, but Herrerin is easily able to come off his line and gather up the delivery. The home side have put on slightly more pressure in the opening minutes, but all that has really characterised the first moments of the tie are the nervy backpasses. Neither shot-stopper is being helped by his back four.
3'
Athletic Club are happy to sit off and feel their way into this contest early on. Lekue plays a rather weak back pass into his goalkeeper with his head, but Herrerin is able to get there just ahead of Tankovic. A cagey first few minutes in the Netherlands!
1'
We are underway in the first half in Alkmaar! The hosts are wearing their home strip of red, meaning that Athletic Club change into a second kit of black.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Athletic Club's away trip to the Netherlands in the Europa League, as Ernesto Valverde's side face up against the Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar. This is the first time that these two outfits have met in UEFA competition, with Los Leones boasting the better form. The Basque visitors recorded a win in their first Group L match, while the hosts slumped to a loss against Partizan.
I'm Simon Harrison and I will be keeping you up to date with all of the action from the AZ Stadion, as Van den Brom tries to inspire his team to an important result tonight. If the home side are to progress into the knockout stages of this competition, they need to pick up their first three points sooner rather than later.
TEAM NEWS: Muamer Tankovic and Vincent Janssen make up an inexperienced and young striking duo for the home side. The dangerous Markus Henriksen will be asked to link midfield to attack for AZ, with 19-year-old Dabney Dos Santos offering yet more youthful exuberance alongside him. Goalkeeper Gino Coutinho is the oldest man in the hosts' starting 11, with 25-year-old Jop van der Linden and Ben Rienstra the veterans of the outfield group.
TEAM NEWS: Eneko Boveda comes back into the back four for Athletic, after an injury lay off, while Inigo Lekue replaces Mikel Balenziaga at left-back. Mikel Rico partners the returning Ander Iturraspe in midfield, with Ager Aketxe and Borja Viguera deployed out wide. Kike Sola is the lone striker, with the likes of Aritz Aduriz, Raul Garcia and Inaki Williams starting on the bench. Iker Muniain is still sidelined through injury.
AZ starting line-up (4-3-1-2): Coutinho; Johansson, Gouweleeuw, Van der Linden, Haps; Van Overeem, Rienstra, Dos Santos; Henriksen; Tankovic, Janssen.
AZ substitutes: Rochet, Wuytens, Brezancic, Jahanbakhsh, Haye, Muhren, Luckassen.
Athletic Club starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Herrerin; Boveda, Gurpegi, Laporte, Lekue; Mikel Rico, Iturraspe; Aketxe, Eraso, Viguera; Sola.
Athletic Club substitutes: Iraizoz, Elustondo, Benat, De Marcos, Williams, Aduriz, Raul Garcia.
HALF TIME! The two sides go in level at the break, with neither outfit able to break the deadlock in Alkmaar. Coutinho has made a few great saves for the hosts, while AZ struck the crossbar courtesy of a sweet strike from Rienstra! Plenty still to play for in a competitive Europa League contest.
FULL TIME! AZ claw their way to a 2-1 win over Athletic Club in their native Netherlands, with Henriksen and an Boveda giving the hosts the three points in Europa League Group L. Substitute Aduriz snatched a late consolation, but Valverde's men come up short on their travels. That's all that we have time for, I've been Simon Harrison and I hope to see you again next time.
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