AZ shock PSV in four-goal rout to claim second Johan Cruyff Shield

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a] manager Peter Bosz surprised with his starting XI, giving midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-noah/lvSBGGkK/"]Noah Fernandez[/a] the start at left-back and Dutch-Moroccan [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bouhamdi-amir/zTD0dUwe/"]Amir Bouhamdi[/a] on the left wing for his professional debut. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mijnans-sven/OhTLBILt/"]Sven Mijnans[/a] was given his official PSV debut against the team he captained and won the KNVB Beker with in the 2025/26 season.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/az-alkmaar/2RxOow1i/"]AZ[/a] started with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-busser-jari/WUMz0fU1/"]Jari De Busser[/a] in goal - the Belgian stopper joined from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/g-a-eagles/hG8POBb8/"]Go Ahead Eagles[/a] during the summer and beat out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/owusu-oduro-rome-jayden/KxZHJGPg/"]Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro[/a] in preseason. Leeroy Echteld opted for a five-man defence ahead of De Busser, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/goes-wouter/dIMruslb/"]Wouter Goes[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-duijl-billy/tSNeb5uM/"]Billy van Duijl[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schouten-lewis/vP0e2FfJ/"]Lewis Schouten[/a].[/p][p]The traditional season opener was a short-lived one for PSV star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veerman-joey/AgXeAAQR/"]Joey Veerman[/a], who was sent off with a red card for a high challenge on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meerdink-mexx/OjqNXAED/"]Mexx Meerdink[/a]. Referee Serdar Gozubuyuk took a long look at the images after being called to the screen late by VAR Pol van Boekel, but was left with little choice after the studs-up challenge from Veerman, which landed on Meerdink's jaw.[/p][embed guid="7399b318-e7d7-4e8a-a540-cf01361d874c" url="https://x.com/ESPNnl/status/2083954359054831704?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]None other than Mexx Meerdink opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a deflected cross from Mexican international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chavez-mateo/faDbbOlf/"]Mateo Chavez[/a] from close range.[/b][/p][p]AZ kept their five-man defence up and invited pressure from PSV, who were unable to test Jari De Busser more than once - the Belgian goalkeeper stopped two attempts from short range to keep PSV goalless well before half-time.[/p][p][b]Five minutes following the break, AZ countered and caught PSV behind their lines. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/weslley-patati/4Qz3uVNq/"]Weslley Patati[/a] got the ball after quick combinations and curled the ball into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovar-matej/tIXuiy4C/"]Matej Kovar[/a]'s far corner, doubling AZ's lead.[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dijkstra-elijah/8fclu2TM/"]Elijah Dijkstra[/a] furthered the reigning Eredivisie champions' worries, capping off another lightning-quick counter with a goal - his first for the club.[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="9884c85e-3e67-4d25-b313-6e235da6151d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2f427d75-e9fb-42f9-8940-90e51dca4bb6" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]Spanish PSV defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hernadis-yarek-gasiorowski/4UxxcIjS/"]Yarek Gasiorowski[/a] put the game beyond all doubt for AZ, handing the Alkmaar outfit a penalty after clipping the returned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stengs-calvin/zVcGaA1B/"]Calvin Stengs[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daal-ro-zangelo/b975TKAK/"]Ro-Zangelo Daal[/a] stepped up and buried the ball in Kovar's left corner, putting AZ up four with over 20 minutes to go.[/b][/p][p]AZ created several chances but made use of none of them, giving PSV the chance to score a consolation goal in the 80th minute - or so they thought, as Ivan Perisic was ruled offside, nullifying Gasiorowski's goal.[/p][p]PSV, 15-time winners of the Johan Cruyff Schaal, were left toothless as AZ won the Johan Cruyff Schaal for the second time in club history, following their 2013 victory.[/p][p]PSV open their Eredivisie campaign on Saturday, August 8th, away at Fortuna Sittard at 20.00 CEST. AZ host promoted ADO Den Haag on the same night, with kick-off set at 21.00 CEST.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/az-alkmaar-2RxOow1i/psv-M9UEHJWi/?mid=z1be3eh3"]View all the match statistics of the Johan Cruyff Shield on Flashscore[/a][/b][/p]