AZ Alkmaar beat PSV 4-0 in the Dutch Super Cup

AZ Alkmaar beat PSV 4-0 at the Philips Stadium and lifted the Dutch Super Cup. An early red card changed the contest before AZ scored on both sides of halftime.

Joey Veerman was dismissed after nine minutes for a dangerous high challenge. His boot struck Max Meerdink in the head, forcing the AZ forward to receive treatment.

Meerdink returned and scored the opening goal

Medical staff treated Meerdink beside the pitch after Veerman’s challenge. The striker returned with a bandage and remained central to AZ’s attacking work.

He opened the scoring in the twenty-fifth minute. The finish gave AZ a reward for using its numerical advantage with patience.

PSV had reorganised with ten players after the dismissal. The home side reduced space near its penalty area and tried to protect the centre.

AZ moved the ball across the width instead of forcing an immediate shot. That approach made PSV cover long distances with one fewer player.

Meerdink’s goal carried an unusual connection with the red-card incident. The player who received the challenge returned to make the first decisive contribution.

AZ protected the lead until halftime. PSV did not find a stable route forward while its midfield covered the missing position.

The cup winners used the space after halftime

AZ had won the Dutch Cup during the previous season. The Super Cup gave that squad an early meeting with the reigning league champion.

Patati scored after the interval and increased the pressure on PSV. A second goal left the home side chasing the match with ten players.

Dijkstra scored in the fifty-eighth minute after a pass from Daal. AZ kept enough players behind the ball to stop a quick response.

Daal converted a penalty for the fourth goal. The score reflected AZ’s control after the early dismissal and its accuracy near goal.

Four different scoring moments gave the victory a broad base. Meerdink, Patati, Dijkstra and Daal each completed an attack.

PSV could not turn the match into a physical contest or a series of set pieces. AZ retained possession and avoided unnecessary fouls around its own area.

PSV paid for one early and serious error

Veerman’s challenge occurred before the match had developed a settled pattern. The decision left PSV with more than eighty minutes to play short-handed.

A high boot to an opponent’s head gave the referee a clear safety issue. The red card followed without a long tactical argument.

PSV initially stayed compact and reached the middle of the half without conceding. Meerdink then found the finish that broke that resistance.

The second half became harder as PSV searched for an equaliser. Larger gaps appeared whenever the home team moved additional players forward.

AZ used those gaps without turning every possession into a hurried counterattack. The visitors selected clear openings and kept the match under control.

The final margin was severe for the league champion. It came from one dismissal, four separate finishes and disciplined work from AZ.

AZ collected its second Super Cup

The victory gave AZ the second Dutch Super Cup in club history. The previous success came in 2009.

Seventeen years separated the two wins. The latest trophy followed directly after AZ’s domestic cup triumph from the previous campaign.

Winning at PSV’s stadium added weight to the occasion. AZ handled the atmosphere and the unusual sequence around the early red card.

Meerdink’s return was the most visible individual story. He received treatment, stayed in the match and scored the first goal.

The remaining scorers then turned a narrow lead into a convincing result. PSV never found the goal that might have changed the final phase.

AZ begins the new Dutch season with a trophy. The team kept PSV scoreless and had four different goal scorers.

The dismissal affected almost the entire cup final

Veerman’s red card arrived before the teams had settled into a normal rhythm. PSV played more than eighty minutes with one fewer player.

Meerdink needed treatment after the challenge but remained involved. His opening goal gave the incident an unusual direct link to the score.

AZ did not rush every attack after taking the lead. The cup winners moved the ball across the pitch and waited for larger spaces.

PSV reached halftime only one goal behind. That score left a possible recovery, despite the long numerical disadvantage.

AZ removed that possibility after the interval. Three further goals turned control into the largest winning margin in the fixture.

The clean sheet completed a balanced performance. AZ combined patient possession with quick attacks once PSV’s shape opened.

The trophy followed last season’s cup success. It also gave AZ a second Super Cup in the club’s history.