Athletic Club Bilbao Secures First Europa League Win Against AZ Alkmaar

AZ Alkmaar suffered a setback in their UEFA Europa League campaign with a 2-0 defeat against Athletic Club Bilbao on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the San Mamés stadium. The match marks a challenging outing for the Dutch club following their previous 3-2 victory over Swedish side Elfsborg in the first round of the group stage.

The home team, Athletic Club, dominated possession but struggled to break through AZ’s defense for much of the match. The deadlock was broken in the 72nd minute when Iñaki Williams scored, capitalizing on an assist from his brother, Nico Williams, after AZ lost possession. This goal significantly lifted the spirits of the Basque side as they sought their first victory in the competition.

Oihan Sancet secured the victory for Athletic with a late goal just before the final whistle, taking advantage of a rebound to score past AZ’s goalkeeper, Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro. While the match was held in the San Mamés stadium, it is notable as the venue for the upcoming Europa League final set for May 21, 2025.

Throughout the match, Athletic’s left-back, Yuri Berchiche, posed significant threats with his long-range efforts, one of which hit the crossbar. On the offensive end, AZ’s attempts were limited, with Ruben van Bommel’s shot being one of the notable ones, which was saved by Athletic’s goalkeeper, Julen Agirrezabala.

Seiya Maikuma, tasked with containing the Athletic winger Nico Williams, faced difficulties compounded by a yellow card early in the match. Despite occasional opportunities, AZ struggled to make impactful advancements, illustrated by Zico Buurmeester’s weak shot attempt towards the end of the first half.

Changes in the AZ lineup saw players like Mexx Meerdink and Kristijan Belic come in to replace Troy Parrott and Jordy Clasie, as coach Maarten Martens sought to rejuvenate the team’s performance, albeit with limited success.

With this result, Athletic Club Bilbao builds on their previous 1-1 draw against AS Roma, strengthening their position in the group, as AZ Alkmaar aims to regroup ahead of their next Europa League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on October 24.