AZ Alkmaar vs Hereenveen

AZ Alkmaar swept aside SC Heerenveen 3-0 at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday, with a blistering opening burst from Sven Mijnans setting the tone before the match had barely begun. Mijnans struck twice in quick succession — in the 7th and 9th minutes — after an earlier AZ effort was chalked off by VAR. It was a ruthless start that left Heerenveen chasing shadows. Oliver Braude was booked for the visitors in the 41st minute as frustration set in, and Troy Parrott put the result beyond any doubt with a composed finish in the 71st. AZ finished the game with an overwhelming 17 shots to Heerenveen's five. The victory moves AZ up to sixth in the Eredivisie with 48 points from 30 games, keeping their European ambitions firmly intact. For Heerenveen, sitting eighth on 44 points, the four-point gap to their hosts underlines the work still needed to push back into contention.