UECL: AZ Edges Slovan Bratislava 1-0 in UEFA Conference League

AZ holds on for 1-0 win over Slovan Bratislava

AZ secured a 1-0 win over Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Conference League, with Sven Mijnans scoring the decisive goal just before halftime.

The match took a turn late on when Sandro Cruz was sent off for a straight red card...

AZ rebounded from their shock loss to AEK Larnaca, securing a 1-0 win over Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Conference League.

The Dutch side dominated the first half, rattling off 15 shots, but Slovan goalkeeper Dominik Takac made several crucial saves to keep the deficit to a single goal, leaving AZ to rue missed opportunities.

Sven Mijnans finally got past goalkeeper Dominik Takac just before halftime, latching onto Denso Kasius' cross and scoring with a shot into the far corner.

In added time, Mijnans had a chance to double his tally from the penalty spot after Guram Kashia handled in the box, but Takac denied him with a brilliant save to his right.

Despite their dominance, AZ couldn't seal the win with a second goal, Troy Parrot's header glancing just wide with 10 minutes remaining.

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The match took a turn late on when Sandro Cruz was sent off for a straight red card, judged to have elbowed an AZ defender, capping off a miserable night for Slovan Bratislava, who managed just two shots in their second consecutive UECL defeat.

The narrow 1-0 scoreline belied AZ's dominance, as they secured a hard-fought win to earn their first points in the league phase.

The victory allows AZ to push on in their quest for the knockout stages, while Slovan Bratislava's struggles continue, failing to earn a single point thus far in the competition.