Waalwijk vs Jong AZ

Both managers made near-total changes to their line-ups at the interval, disrupting any rhythm that had been built in the first 45 minutes. Waalwijk's second-half XI contained only three survivors — Navajo Bakboord, Liam van Gelderen and Rein van Hedel — while the rest of the outfield was replaced. The reshuffle killed the game's momentum; neither side managed a sustained period of pressure after the restart.

Haye van Gemert — the Under-21 attacker took his goal well, showing composure to head home from close range after his initial effort had been saved. His movement off the shoulder of the defence troubled Jong AZ throughout the first half.

Yoram van der Veen — Waalwijk's most dangerous player after the break. He tested the Jong AZ goalkeeper with a free kick that curled just over the crossbar, and forced a save with a low effort in the 75th minute.

Conner van Kilsdonk — also from the U21 ranks, the wide man supplied the assist for the equaliser with a well-delivered cross, and was lively down the right before being substituted at half-time.

The provider data records a 1-1 draw with limited goalscoring chances in the second half for either side. The match statistics reflect a game settled in the first 10 minutes: a penalty conceded by Waalwijk and an immediate equaliser. The penalty alone accounts for the bulk of Jong AZ's attacking threat, while Waalwijk's first-half pressure — the through ball, the saved shot, the headed finish — generated their only goal. The second half was a non-event, with both teams prioritising minutes over match-winning intent.

In the head-to-head, this was the 7th meeting between the sides since 2017. Waalwijk have won 4, Jong AZ have won 1, and there have now been 2 draws. Both teams have scored in 6 of the 7 meetings (86%), and the fixture has produced over 2.5 goals in 5 of 7 games.

This was Waalwijk's second pre-season workout of the 2026/27 campaign. The draw extends their unbeaten run against Jong AZ to five matches across all competitions (4 wins, 1 draw). Jong AZ, competing in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie for the coming season, showed sharpness in their early press and penalty conversion. For Waalwijk, the quick response to going behind is the main positive — but the lack of cutting edge after the half-time reshuffle is a detail Henk Fraser's staff will address on the training ground.

A textbook pre-season friendly: one early goal, an immediate reply, and 80 minutes of controlled experimentation. Waalwijk's youngsters showed well, but the second-half drop-off is typical of a squad finding its fitness base. The result itself carries no weight; the fitness minutes and the sharpness of the equaliser's build-up are what matter for the weeks ahead.