Groningen beat AZ Alkmaar 2-0 at the Eurborg to earn their second win of the season and lift themselves off the bottom of the Eredivisie.
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Other results at the weekend had left Groningen bottom of the table going into the tie on Sunday and coach Ernest Faber decided to make changes to his attack. Oussama Idrissi, Mimoun Mahi and Danny Hoesen all dropped out of the side, while Bryan Linssen retained his place.
The decision to keep Linssen in the starting line-up paid off after 18 minutes when the attacker fired the home side ahead after Tom van Weert headed a cross into his path.
AZ, who were looking to recover from the midweek defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv, had actually started the game the better of the two sides and missed several chances before the home side scored. However, despite responding well to the setback they found themselves 2-0 behind at the break after van Weert headed in a second on the stroke of half time.
After the break, AZ looked for a way back into the game but Derrick Luckassen couldn’t punish an error by Sergio Padt, before Illias Bel Hassani sent a good chance wide. Wout Weghorst and Robert Muhren were thrown on by John van den Brom and the latter came close to a consolation late on but his header hit the bar.
The win lifts Groningen to 13th while AZ drop to 6th.
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