Eredivisie
AZ Alkmaar edge Fortuna Sittard after late winner in Eredivisie
Jorrit Hornkamp's brace secured all three points for the visitors in a tight contest at Fortuna Sittard Stadion.
AZ Alkmaar recorded a narrow 2-0 victory over Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie on Saturday, with both goals coming from Jorrit Hornkamp in the final half-hour of play.
The match began with Fortuna Sittard pushing forward, but their hopes of an early lead were dealt a blow when O. Romeny was shown a straight red card in the 5th minute. Despite being reduced to ten men, the hosts held firm and went into halftime level at 0-0.
The deadlock was broken in the 58th minute when Hornkamp slotted home from close range, capitalising on a well-worked move by AZ Alkmaar. With Fortuna Sittard defending resolutely, it appeared the game might end 1-0, but in the 90+5th minute, Hornkamp struck again, finishing coolly after a clever pass from A. Oufkir.
The win sees AZ Alkmaar climb to the top of the Eredivisie table after two matches, accumulating six points, while Fortuna Sittard remain mid-table with four points from their opening fixtures.
Referee Serdar Gozubuyuk managed the contest, which was played at Fortuna Sittard Stadion in Sittard.
AZ Alkmaar deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation under coach Leeroy Echteld, while Fortuna Sittard lined up in a 3-4-2-1 setup under Danny Buijs.
Despite the numerical disadvantage for much of the match, Fortuna Sittard showed admirable resilience, particularly in the first half, but ultimately could not break down a determined AZ Alkmaar defence.
Hornkamp's performance will be remembered as the decisive factor, with his brace ensuring AZ Alkmaar maintained their perfect start to the campaign.
The result sets up an intriguing fixture list for both sides as the Eredivisie enters its fourth round, with AZ Alkmaar looking to extend their lead at the summit.