AZ Alkmaar 3-2 Olympiacos Piraeus: Exciting Friendly Ends in Home Victory

AZ Alkmaar edged out Greek giants Olympiacos Piraeus 3-2 in a thrilling International Club Friendly on 25 July 2026. The match, held at the AFAS Stadion, swung back and forth before the home side's quality finally prevailed.

Olympiacos took the lead early in the first half with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box. AZ responded quickly, equalising through a penalty after a handball in the area. The visitors then regained the lead before half-time with a header from a free kick, making it 2-1 at the break.

AZ Alkmaar came out with renewed energy in the second half. They equalised within ten minutes of the restart through a deflected effort, and then took the lead for the first time in the 68th minute with a clinical finish after a swift counter-attack. Olympiacos pushed hard for an equaliser, hitting the post in the dying minutes, but AZ held on for a deserved win.

Key highlights:

• Olympiacos led twice in the match.
• AZ converted twice from set-piece situations.
• The winning goal was scored by AZ's substitute striker.
• Olympiacos had 15 shots, but only 5 on target.

Both teams will take positives from this high-tempo friendly, with AZ's resilience standing out. Olympiacos will rue their missed chances but showed they can compete with top Dutch opposition.