AZ Alkmaar substitute Mexx Meerdink scored with his very first touch to give his side a win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva, according to De Telegraaf. The goal came from what the Dutch press has dubbed a "Kiprich penalty," a reference that left those watching in disbelief.
De Telegraaf reports that Meerdink's moment drove trainer Leeroy Echteld to the edge of despair. The paper quotes Echteld saying he thought the player was crazy. NU reported similar astonishment at AZ over the same "Kiprich-penalty," with the outlet also noting the reaction that Meerdink "is gek," or mad.
NOS and AD.nl both framed the story around the timing of the strike, describing how the substitute found the net at his first ball contact to hand AZ the victory. VoetbalPrimeur, reviewing the morning papers, wrote that an AZ "fantasy line-up" won through one man, calling him a genuine specialist.
The reports agree on the essentials: Meerdink began the match on the bench, entered as a substitute, and needed only a single touch to decide the result against the Israeli club. The unusual manner of the goal, rather than the scoreline itself, is what drew the strongest reactions from his own coach and from the Dutch media.
What to watch next is whether Echteld keeps Meerdink in the starting line-up or continues to use him as the substitute who changes games.
