AZ Alkmaar secured a Europa Conference League victory over a resilient Shelbourne, with Peer Koopmeiners and Isak Steiner Jensen scoring in the second half to keep their knockout stage hopes alive despite a spirited performance from the Irish side.
According to a report from RTÉ, Shelbourne were left bitterly disappointed after going down 2–0 to AZ Alkmaar in their latest UEFA Europa Conference League fixture, despite showing fight and organisation on the night.
The Irish outfit—familiar as “Shels”—battled valiantly but succumbed to the class and experience of their Dutch opponents, who managed to impose their quality and secure the victory.
RTÉ’s match summary described the result as having added to the “regrets” already building for the League of Ireland club, who remain in search of their first points in the group stage.
Shelbourne’s exit from the match underscored recurring issues in big competitive fixtures: missed chances, an inability to convert pressure into goals, and the gulf in closing out tight games when under sustained opponent dominance.
While the Shels squad showed resilience, AZ’s ability to manage the game and make decisive moments count proved the difference.
RTÉ noted that despite their best efforts, Shelbourne could not avoid a second defeat in the group, leaving their European ambitions in deeper jeopardy.
Looking ahead, Shelbourne will need to regroup quickly if they hope to salvage anything from the group, but the defeat raises serious questions about their readiness for top-level continental competition.