Utrecht sink AZ as first half double lifts them into eighth | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Utrecht beat AZ 2-0 at Stadion Galgenwaard. Yoann Cathline opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a right-footed finish after a corner. Gjivai Zechiël then won a penalty, which Artem Stepanov converted to stretch the lead (35.). AZ registered six shots on target and 58.6% possession, yet could not find a way past the goalkeeper. The result lifts Utrecht from 10th to eighth, while AZ slip to sixth; next up, Utrecht visit Heracles and AZ host Telstar in the KNVB Beker semi-finals.

Player of the Match: Vasilis Barkas kept a clean sheet with six saves, shutting the door on AZ's best openings to secure the points.

Stat of the Match: Utrecht turned two of three shots on target into goals, a clinical edge that decided the game.

Three Things We Learned: Set pieces and direct running hurt AZ, with one goal following a corner and another coming from the spot. AZ had 58.6% possession and 10 attempts but were shut out by disciplined defending. Utrecht climb from 10th to eighth, while AZ drop from fifth to sixth in the Eredivisie.