In one of the shocks of the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying round, Finnish side Ilves Tampere defeated Dutch Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar 4-3 in a thrilling first leg on July 25, 2025. The match, starting at 00:00, was a breathtaking encounter with Ilves securing a historic victory against a much more fancied opponent. Ilves raced into a surprising lead, but AZ fought back to level, setting the stage for a rollercoaster match. The Finnish team showed incredible heart, regaining the lead and then holding on despite a late AZ goal to claim a narrow advantage heading to the Netherlands. This result sent shockwaves through European football and gave Ilves a famous victory to defend in the second leg. The Ilves manager called it the greatest night in the club's history, while the AZ coach was critical of his team's defensive performance.