AZ Alkmaar will play in the UEFA Conference League next season after a 3-2 victory over FC Twente on Sunday. Twente had led 2-0.
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Twente began the game brightly and they got a penalty in the 22nd minute after some clever play by Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Sem Steijn calmly converted.
In the 40th minute, Michel Vlap set up Steijn to score his second and it seemed Twente were flying their way to victory. However, Mexx Meerdink quickly pulled one back before the break with a fierce strike.
Just before the break, Van Wolfswinkel was lucky to avoid a red card as VAR recommended referee Serdar Gözübüyük to review the original decision of a yellow for a rash challenge on Alexandre Penetra. However, Gözübüyük stuck to his guns and the striker stayed on,
AZ came flying out the blocks in the second half and after Meerdink missed a good chance, it was 2-2 through Ruben van Bommel. The young winger cut inside before sending a strike past Przemyslaw Tyton from outside the box.
Both sides then traded big chances and it seemed the game was heading for extra time. However, in the last seconds, Troy Parrott forced Tyton into a save but he could only push the ball into the path of Ibrahim Sadiq, who scored the winner.
AZ Alkmaar now enters the UEFA Conference League qualifers, while there will be no European football for Twente next season.
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