Match ends, AZ 1, Dundalk 1.
Europa League: AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Dundalk
- From the section Football
Dundalk made history as a late equaliser saw them hold AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League to become the first Irish team to pick up a European point.
Stijn Wuytens bravely headed AZ into the lead on the hour but needed lengthy treatment after being concussed.
Dundalk's hopes looked slim when captain Stephen O'Donnell was sent off for a second yellow card.
But Ciaran Kilduff, who broke his back in April, headed home late on and they survived nine minutes of injury time.
The 27-year-old substitute, who sustained fractured vertebrae in a domestic cup match, had to spend 10 days wearing a neck brace.
Brilliant Dundalk do it again
Stephen Kenny's Dundalk have won the League of Ireland - which runs from March to November - for the past two seasons, and are 10 points clear at the top this season.
But their run in Europe has brought wider attention to his side.
Dundalk beat Icelandic side FH in the Champions League qualifiers, before stunning BATE Borisov 3-0 to win 3-1 on aggregate. They lost in the play-off to Legia Warsaw, instead dropping into the Europa League group stages.
They wanted to go one better than Shamrock Rovers, the only Irish team to reach the group stages, who lost all their six games in 2011.
And after one night - one magical night - in Alkmaar, they have already done that.
When skipper O'Donnell, who had only just returned from a European ban, was dismissed on 72 minutes for bringing down Ridgeciano Haps, Dundalk seemed to have little chance of taking anything from the game.
But, after surviving several scares, Kilduff got on the end of a Daryl Horgan free-kick to head the crucial goal.
Dundalk will play their home matches at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, the home of Shamrock Rovers. Maccabi Tel Aviv, who lost 4-3 to Zenit St Petersburg in the group's other opener, are the visitors for the next round of matches on 29 September.
Wuytens' injury worry for Alkmaar
There was immediate concern for Wuytens after his goal, the 26-year-old midfielder colliding with Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers, having courageously got on the end of a long ball to head the opener.
Wuytens received lengthy medical attention before being carried off wearing a neck brace.
However, the Eredivisie club soon announced that the Belgian had regained consciousness.
Line-ups
AZ Alkmaar
- 1Rochet
- 2JohanssonBooked at 87mins
- 3van Eijden
- 4Vlaar
- 5Haps
- 23Luckassen
- 8van Overeem
- 30WuytensSubstituted forRienstraat 65'minutes
- 7JahanbakhshSubstituted forBel Hassaniat 75'minutes
- 27FridaySubstituted forWeghorstat 55'minutes
- 19dos Santos
Substitutes
- 6Rienstra
- 9Weghorst
- 18Bel Hassani
- 22Ouwejan
- 25Olij
- 28García
- 29Lewis
Dundalk
- 1Rogers
- 2Gannon
- 3Gartland
- 4Boyle
- 14Massey
- 8MountneySubstituted forBensonat 77'minutesBooked at 85mins
- 6O'DonnellBooked at 71mins
- 10Finn
- 7Horgan
- 9McMillanSubstituted forShieldsat 75'minutes
- 11McEleneySubstituted forKilduffat 84'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 5Shields
- 12Grimes
- 15Barrett
- 16Kilduff
- 18Benson
- 19Shiels
- 22Sava
- Referee:
- Clayton Pisani
- Attendance:
- 10,003
Match Stats
Home TeamAZ AlkmaarAway TeamDundalk
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away5
- Corners
- Home7
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away11
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, AZ 1, Dundalk 1.
Corner, AZ. Conceded by Brian Gartland.
Attempt blocked. Wout Weghorst (AZ) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ron Vlaar.
Attempt blocked. Joris van Overeem (AZ) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Iliass Bel Hassani (AZ) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Booking
Ciarán Kilduff (Dundalk) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Rens van Eijden (AZ) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ciarán Kilduff (Dundalk).
Foul by Derrick Luckassen (AZ).
Ciarán Kilduff (Dundalk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Derrick Luckassen (AZ).
Ciarán Kilduff (Dundalk) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Wout Weghorst (AZ) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Dabney dos Santos with a cross following a set piece situation.
Wout Weghorst (AZ) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ronan Finn (Dundalk).
Goal!
Goal! AZ 1, Dundalk 1. Ciarán Kilduff (Dundalk) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Daryl Horgan with a cross following a set piece situation.
Booking
Mattias Johansson (AZ) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Mattias Johansson (AZ).
Chris Shields (Dundalk) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, AZ. Conceded by Robbie Benson.
Attempt blocked. Derrick Luckassen (AZ) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.
Booking
Robbie Benson (Dundalk) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Dabney dos Santos (AZ) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Robbie Benson (Dundalk).
Substitution
Substitution, Dundalk. Ciarán Kilduff replaces Patrick McEleney.
Attempt saved. Dabney dos Santos (AZ) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Mattias Johansson (AZ) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Joris van Overeem.
Attempt missed. Iliass Bel Hassani (AZ) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ben Rienstra.
Ridgeciano Haps (AZ) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Chris Shields (Dundalk).
Joris van Overeem (AZ) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Dane Massey (Dundalk).
Substitution
Substitution, Dundalk. Robbie Benson replaces John Mountney.
Foul by Ridgeciano Haps (AZ).
John Mountney (Dundalk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, AZ. Iliass Bel Hassani replaces Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Substitution
Substitution, Dundalk. Chris Shields replaces David McMillan.
Corner, AZ. Conceded by Sean Gannon.
Attempt blocked. Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
