REPUBLIC OF IRELAND’s Troy Parrott scored his 21st goal from 27 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar today, but his impressive strike wasn’t enough to prevent defeat to NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie.
The result leaves NEC in third in the table on 38 points, while AZ Alkmaar are six points behind in sixth place, and 21 adrift of runaway leaders PSV, who play their game in hand against Feyenoord tomorrow.
While the 23-year-old has impressed individually, it has been a turbulent season for AZ, who sacked manager Maarten Martens earlier this month following a poor run of results.
Parrott’s goal arrived in the closing minutes of the first half when his side was trailing 2-0 after conceding goals in the 10th and 12th minutes. The in-form striker received the ball at the edge of the penalty area and arrowed his shot past the goalkeeper to halve the deficit heading into half-time.
However, NEC scored a third goal shortly after half-time, as Kodai Sano found the net, adding to the first-half goals courtesy of Tjaronn Chery and Başar Önal.
Parrott, who got an assist for AZ Alkmaar last week, has also bagged five goals in four appearances during Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign, starring in back-to-back victories against Portugal and Hungary last November.
He will be hoping to bring that brilliant club form back into the international set-up as Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side return to action for their playoff semi-final away to Czechia on 26 March.
Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Harry Kane leave the pitch disappointed after the match. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich dropped points for the second straight week in the Bundesliga as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Hamburg on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund have a chance to revive a dormant title race with a win at home to bottom club Heidenheim on Sunday, which would draw them to within six points.
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Hamburg had lost 17 and drawn three of their past 20 games with Bayern but put up a fight against the defending champions, taking the lead with a Fabio Vieira penalty after 32 minutes.
Bayern hit back when Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored either side of half-time, but the hosts swiftly equalised through Luka Vuskovic.
Hamburg had a chance to win it late with Manuel Neuer well outside his box, but Alphonso Davies denied Vieira and saved Bayern with a desperation clearance.
It was the first time Hamburg avoided defeat against Bayern since 2014, a run of nine straight defeats with 39 goals conceded.
Arsenal loanee Vieira tucked a penalty under Neuer’s outstretched hand to give Hamburg the lead, their first goal against Bayern in seven matches dating back to 2016.
Kane brought the visitors level just before the break, scoring on the spin from a rebound with a classic poacher’s finish.
Half-time substitute Diaz gave Bayern the lead 90 seconds into the second period, guiding a Michael Olise pass in from close range.
The visitors levelled minutes later, though, as Vuskovic headed a cross past Neuer and just inside the post, before holding on to nab a valuable point.
Andrej Kramaric scored twice as Hoffenheim extended their strong run with a 3-1 home win over Union Berlin.
Hoffenheim narrowly escaped relegation last season but have picked up 19 of a possible 21 points in their past seven games to move level with second-placed Dortmund.
Bayern host Hoffenheim next Sunday, and Kramaric told Sky Germany: “We’re up for it — it’ll be a great test. If we keep up the performances we’ve had in the past few weeks, we won’t leave empty-handed.”
Union’s rise to mid-table this season has been driven by steely defence. But the Berlin club’s resistance was broken when defender Leopold Querfeld clipped Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani in the box.
Kramaric converted from the spot with a cool chipped finish. The Croatia forward headed in a second from a Bazoumana Toure cross just before half-time.
Another Toure cross enabled the hosts to seal victory just after the break, as Union’s Diogo Leite scuffed the ball into his own net with Kramaric lurking.
- Leverkusen ease past Frankfurt -
Bayer Leverkusen moved a point behind fourth-placed Leipzig with a 3-1 win at free-falling Eintracht Frankfurt, without a coach until Albert Riera takes over next week. The hosts finished with 10 men.
Arthur gave Leverkusen the lead, his first Bundesliga goal, after a clever Alejandro Grimaldo backheel.
Malik Tillman made the most of some poor positioning from Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos moments later to double the lead.
A Robin Koch goal just after half-time gave Frankfurt a glimmer of hope, but Ellyes Skhiri picked up two yellow cards in three second-half minutes.
Frankfurt have won just one of their past 13 games in all competitions. On Friday, Riera was named coach in a surprise appointment, but the former Spain international, currently with Slovenian side Celje, will not arrive until Monday.
“We’ll be starting from zero,” Frankfurt’s Mario Goetze said, “step by step.”
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig became the latest victim of resurgent Mainz, going down 2-1 at home after taking the lead.
Conrad Harder put the hosts in front, but Leipzig captain David Raum gave away a penalty for the second time in two games, allowing Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri to level from the spot.
Silas gave Mainz the lead early in the second half. Mainz have lost just once in nine games since Urs Fischer took over as coach in December.
Elsewhere, Augsburg beat St Pauli 2-1, and Werder Bremen’s Keke Topp snatched a point with a splendid late goal at home in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach.
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Ireland's Troy Parrott scores 21st goal of the season amid AZ loss
Updated at 20.30
Dutch Eredivisie results on Saturday:
German Bundesliga results on Saturday:
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND’s Troy Parrott scored his 21st goal from 27 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar today, but his impressive strike wasn’t enough to prevent defeat to NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie.
The result leaves NEC in third in the table on 38 points, while AZ Alkmaar are six points behind in sixth place, and 21 adrift of runaway leaders PSV, who play their game in hand against Feyenoord tomorrow.
While the 23-year-old has impressed individually, it has been a turbulent season for AZ, who sacked manager Maarten Martens earlier this month following a poor run of results.
Parrott’s goal arrived in the closing minutes of the first half when his side was trailing 2-0 after conceding goals in the 10th and 12th minutes. The in-form striker received the ball at the edge of the penalty area and arrowed his shot past the goalkeeper to halve the deficit heading into half-time.
However, NEC scored a third goal shortly after half-time, as Kodai Sano found the net, adding to the first-half goals courtesy of Tjaronn Chery and Başar Önal.
Parrott, who got an assist for AZ Alkmaar last week, has also bagged five goals in four appearances during Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign, starring in back-to-back victories against Portugal and Hungary last November.
He will be hoping to bring that brilliant club form back into the international set-up as Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side return to action for their playoff semi-final away to Czechia on 26 March.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich dropped points for the second straight week in the Bundesliga as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Hamburg on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund have a chance to revive a dormant title race with a win at home to bottom club Heidenheim on Sunday, which would draw them to within six points.
Hamburg had lost 17 and drawn three of their past 20 games with Bayern but put up a fight against the defending champions, taking the lead with a Fabio Vieira penalty after 32 minutes.
Bayern hit back when Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored either side of half-time, but the hosts swiftly equalised through Luka Vuskovic.
Hamburg had a chance to win it late with Manuel Neuer well outside his box, but Alphonso Davies denied Vieira and saved Bayern with a desperation clearance.
It was the first time Hamburg avoided defeat against Bayern since 2014, a run of nine straight defeats with 39 goals conceded.
Arsenal loanee Vieira tucked a penalty under Neuer’s outstretched hand to give Hamburg the lead, their first goal against Bayern in seven matches dating back to 2016.
Kane brought the visitors level just before the break, scoring on the spin from a rebound with a classic poacher’s finish.
Half-time substitute Diaz gave Bayern the lead 90 seconds into the second period, guiding a Michael Olise pass in from close range.
The visitors levelled minutes later, though, as Vuskovic headed a cross past Neuer and just inside the post, before holding on to nab a valuable point.
Andrej Kramaric scored twice as Hoffenheim extended their strong run with a 3-1 home win over Union Berlin.
Hoffenheim narrowly escaped relegation last season but have picked up 19 of a possible 21 points in their past seven games to move level with second-placed Dortmund.
Bayern host Hoffenheim next Sunday, and Kramaric told Sky Germany: “We’re up for it — it’ll be a great test. If we keep up the performances we’ve had in the past few weeks, we won’t leave empty-handed.”
Union’s rise to mid-table this season has been driven by steely defence. But the Berlin club’s resistance was broken when defender Leopold Querfeld clipped Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani in the box.
Kramaric converted from the spot with a cool chipped finish. The Croatia forward headed in a second from a Bazoumana Toure cross just before half-time.
Another Toure cross enabled the hosts to seal victory just after the break, as Union’s Diogo Leite scuffed the ball into his own net with Kramaric lurking.
- Leverkusen ease past Frankfurt -
Bayer Leverkusen moved a point behind fourth-placed Leipzig with a 3-1 win at free-falling Eintracht Frankfurt, without a coach until Albert Riera takes over next week. The hosts finished with 10 men.
Arthur gave Leverkusen the lead, his first Bundesliga goal, after a clever Alejandro Grimaldo backheel.
Malik Tillman made the most of some poor positioning from Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos moments later to double the lead.
A Robin Koch goal just after half-time gave Frankfurt a glimmer of hope, but Ellyes Skhiri picked up two yellow cards in three second-half minutes.
Frankfurt have won just one of their past 13 games in all competitions. On Friday, Riera was named coach in a surprise appointment, but the former Spain international, currently with Slovenian side Celje, will not arrive until Monday.
“We’ll be starting from zero,” Frankfurt’s Mario Goetze said, “step by step.”
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig became the latest victim of resurgent Mainz, going down 2-1 at home after taking the lead.
Conrad Harder put the hosts in front, but Leipzig captain David Raum gave away a penalty for the second time in two games, allowing Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri to level from the spot.
Silas gave Mainz the lead early in the second half. Mainz have lost just once in nine games since Urs Fischer took over as coach in December.
Elsewhere, Augsburg beat St Pauli 2-1, and Werder Bremen’s Keke Topp snatched a point with a splendid late goal at home in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Additional reporting by AFP and Paul Fennessy
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AZ Alkmaar back of the net Eredivisie nec nijmegen Troy Parrott