AZ Alkmaar Vs. PSV Eindhoven: Halftime, AZ Leads Fantastic Game 2-1

It’s been a fairly even 45 minutes between AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven in the middle of the park, but AZ have been the slightly better side where it really counts. They’re up 2-1 after scoring a couple of fantastic goals in the early going, but a goal by PSV in first half stoppage time has flipped the game on its head. It appeared that PSV were going to go into the halftime break a defeated side, but their goal should give them some belief and really make this one into a contest.

Belgian international Maarten Martens scored the opening goal on the 26th minute with a fantastic finish, and he’s been arguably the best player on the pitch to this point. His teammate Nick Viergever stole the show, though, scoring with an absolute rocket of a shot from 35 yards out in the 40th minute.

In stoppage time, Dries Mertens did something that it didn’t look like any PSV player was going to be capable of: Finish. Rasmus Elm, who was great for most of the first half, was caught out of position as Mertens blew by him, then placed an impeccable finish into the back of the net at the far post from just inside of the penalty area.

New signing Georginio Wijnaldum has been very good...except for in the penalty area. He’s missed a couple of good chances to score, one of them an absolute sitter. Him and Jermaine Lens have been the only real highlights - until Mertens’ goal, that is - as Ola Toivonen’s influence has been minimized and Orlando Englelaar has been pulled all over the park by the wide play of AZ. Expect various adjustments from both teams in the second half, as both have a couple of areas where they could improve.