AMSTERDAM – Aron Johannsson played the hero for AZ Alkmaar on Sunday afternoon, netting a wonder-goal winner from nearly 40 yards with two minutes to play against Eredivisie guests NAC Breda.
After being robbed from close range near the hour mark, the US forward loaded the cannon and picked out the top corner from a central position at extreme long range to hand AZ a 3-2 win. The goal was his seventh of the season, and gave him tallies in consecutive matches for the first time since early February.
For the day, Johannsson completed 20 of 24 passes, with eight positive passes in the attacking half. The win at least temporarily lifted AZ level with Monday combatants Feyenoord, who currently have control of the final Europa League slot on offer in the Netherlands.
Elsewhere, Rubio Rubin went the distance up top as FC Utrecht settled for a 2-2 home share with Excelsior.
Working in a two-forward set, the rookie was cruelly denied from eight yards midway through the opening frame. Rubin also completed 16 of 20 passes while earning five free kicks in the attacking half. The result kept Utrecht unbeaten in three, but dipped them a rung to 12th.
Next door in the 2. Bundesliga, Alfredo Morales worked 73 minutes as Ingolstadt backed into clinching promotion despite a 3-1 loss at VfL Bochum.
The US midfielder got his knee in the way to block Mikael Forssell's 56th minute shot on the goal line, but would eventually depart seconds after the Finnish veteran put the hosts ahead to stay. While Ingolstadt secured their first promotion to the Bundesliga in club history, their first loss in seven kept them just shy of clinching the league crown.
On Saturday evening in Norway, A.J. Soares and Viking fought back for a 1-1 home share with Odds BK.
The former New England Revolution defender had a golden chance to win the game in the waning moments, only to nudge his restart header from six yards wide of the frame. Now unbeaten in three, Viking stayed put in seventh place.
Around the Tippeligaen, Danny Cruz put in a solid 62-minute shift and Zarek Valentin came on for the final seven minutes as Bodo/Glimt fell 5-3 to visiting Stromsgodset.
Despite his efforts, Cruz – on loan from the Philadelphia Union – had an early shot deflected just wide and an early second half set-up nodded inches to the wrong side of the post. Valentin, meanwhile, made the final error on Stromsgodset's capping goal play by muffing a clearance. Winless Glimt remain stuck in the basement through seven rounds.
Alex DeJohn had a rough 88 minutes at the back in IK Start's 4-0 defeat away to defending champs Molde FK. Ethan Horvath served as backup netminder for the third place victors, while 11th place Start lost for the third time in four league games.
