Heerenveen were handed a harsh lesson by league leaders AZ on Sunday 6 September 2026, losing 3-0 at the Abe Lenstra Stadion. The defeat leaves Robin Veldman's side further adrift from the top, while AZ extended their perfect start to the season to five consecutive victories.
AZ, who topped the table with 12 points from four games, started quickly. The visitors from Alkmaar were efficient in front of goal and capitalized on individual quality. Heerenveen actually enjoyed more possession (54%) and a high passing accuracy of 85.78%, but failed to turn that dominance into clear chances. Their crossing from open play found a teammate only a small percentage of the time. AZ remained dangerous and converted their opportunities.
The loss means Heerenveen remain 11th in the Eredivisie with 5 points, claiming a -1 goal difference after scoring 5 and conceding 6. The gap to outright leaders PSV Eindhoven has now widened to 8 points. The full standings can be found here.
Veldman's team had to face this important fixture without several key players. Midfielder Marcus Linday and defender Mats Egbring were sidelined with injuries. Their absence was felt, particularly in build-up play and defensive organization. AZ also dealt with a significant injury list of their own, including goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst, defender Denso Kasius and midfielder Kees Smit. The current injury status of the entire squad can always be tracked on our injuries page.
AZ's season statistics are impressive. Attackers Ro Daal (3 goals) and Jizz Hornkamp (2 goals) have been productive, while Mateo Chávez has provided three assists. For Heerenveen, top scorer Jacob Trenskow with two goals is the main attacking threat. The detailed team stats clearly show these trends.
Attention now quickly shifts to the next challenge. This coming Sunday, 13 September 2026, Heerenveen host Telstar at home, a team currently in 14th place. It's an opportunity to break the negative spiral and pick up points against a side from the lower part of the table. The full schedule of upcoming matches is in the fixtures. A Heerenveen win against AZ would have lifted them to eight points, but that chance has now passed.
