Jong AZ vs Helmond Sport 5-4

Jong AZ beat Helmond Sport 5-4 in a nine-goal league thriller at AFAS Trainingscomplex, winning it in the fourth minute of stoppage time through J. Esajas. Helmond Sport levelled twice after falling 2-0 behind and again after going 4-3 down, but Jong AZ found the last goal.

Jong AZ led after 16 minutes when Bogdan Budko finished from Saviola Mourinho Simons Saffoe, and Jasper Hartog made it 2-0 on 22 minutes. Tarik Essakkati pulled one back on 29 minutes, then Dean·Huiberts equalised on 35 minutes from Essakkati’s assist. The sides were 2-2 at half-time.

Hartog restored Jong AZ’s lead on 51 minutes from Jesper Zwart, his second of the match, but Michel Simon Ludwig levelled again on 59 minutes from Essakkati’s third assist of the night. Jong AZ made two changes on 62 minutes, and Helmond Sport later made two on 84 minutes. Frej Elkjær Andersen put Jong AZ 4-3 up on 78 minutes before Kiton Ekoli, who came on in the 84th minute, made it 4-4 on 89 minutes from Brian Koglin’s assist. J. Esajas, who came on in the 90th minute, then scored on 90+4 minutes from Melle Roede, who had come on in the 84th minute, to seal it for Jong AZ.

Jong AZ had 55% of the ball and 471 passes to Helmond Sport’s 367, but the visitors had more shots, 21 to 13, and more on target, 9 to 6. Helmond Sport also finished with more xG, 1.68 to 0.77, more corners, 7 to 5, and more saves, 5 to 1, while Jong AZ committed 8 fouls to 11.

There were no yellow or red cards.