--- title: "Artem Stepanov's Goal Fails to Save Utrecht from Demolition by AZ Alkmaar: Match Details and Prospects for the Ukrainian" description: "⚽ Artem Stepanov scored his first goal for Utrecht this season, but it did not save the team from a 1:4 demolition by AZ Alkmaar. 🇳🇱 🔹 The 19-year-old Ukrainian started for the first time after a delay with the loan. 🔹 He scored a header in the 62nd minute. 🔹 Utrecht is at the bottom of the Eredivisie table after two rounds. 🔹 Stepanov's rights belong to Bayer Leverkusen, valued at €5 million. #Sport #Football #Eredivisie #Utrecht #Stepanov" date: 2026-08-16T09:58:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/stepanovs-goal-fails-to-save-utrecht-from-demolition-by-az-alkmaar tags: [football, eredivisie, utrecht, artem-stepanov, bayer-leverkusen, ukrainian-footballers] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Artem Stepanov's Goal Fails to Save Utrecht from Demolition by AZ Alkmaar: Match Details and Prospects for the Ukrainian ![Artem Stepanov celebrates a goal for Utrecht against AZ Alkmaar, but his success couldn’t save the team from a crushing defeat](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/16/gol-stepanova-ne-spas-utreht-ot-razgroma-v-matche-protiv-az-alkmar/gol-stepanova-ne-spas-utreht-ot-razgroma-v-matche-protiv-az-alkmar-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Artem Stepanov scored his first goal of the season, but Utrecht lost to AZ Alkmaar 1:4. - The Ukrainian started for the first time this season after a delay in finalizing the loan. - Utrecht occupies the last place in the Eredivisie after two rounds. - Stepanov's transfer value is estimated at 5 million euros. 19-year-old Ukrainian forward Artem Stepanov, playing on loan for Dutch club Utrecht, scored his first goal of the current Eredivisie season. However, the striker's individual achievement could not compensate for the difference in class between the teams: in the 2nd round match, Utrecht suffered a crushing defeat against AZ Alkmaar with a score of 1:4. ### First Goal and Debut in the Starting Lineup For Artem Stepanov, this match became an important stage in adapting to Dutch football. Due to prolonged bureaucratic procedures regarding the renewal of his loan from Bayer Leverkusen, the forward missed the first round of the season. In the game against AZ Alkmaar, he finally started and played the full 90 minutes, showing high work rate. The Ukrainian scored his first goal of the season in the 62nd minute of the match. Following a corner kick, Stepanov won an aerial duel and headed the ball accurately into the opponent's goal. This goal allowed Utrecht to reduce the deficit, but did not change the trajectory of the game. During the match, the forward also received a yellow card for a controversial foul. ### Tactical Defeat and Crushing Score Despite Stepanov's determined goal, AZ Alkmaar confidently dominated for the majority of the match. The visitors controlled the ball, dictated the tempo, and converted most of their chances. The final score of 1:4 eloquently speaks of the difference in class between the teams on this day. Utrecht failed to organize an effective defense and allowed the opponent to score four goals. ### Contradictory Data During the fact-checking of information about the match, a significant discrepancy in the versions of the final result was revealed. In a number of sources (in particular, on the portal ua-football.com), it was erroneously reported that Stepanov's goal brought Utrecht a "convincing victory" over AZ Alkmaar. However, official statistics and reports from other authoritative publications (Sport.ua) confirm that Utrecht lost with a score of 1:4. The XAB.info editorial board relies on confirmed data regarding the home team's defeat. ### Tournament Standing and Prospects After two played rounds, Utrecht is in an extremely difficult position, closing the Eredivisie standings without any points. The team has suffered two consecutive defeats, which puts their plans for the season at risk. The club's next chance to fix the situation will be on August 22 in a match against Sparta. Nevertheless, the prospects for Artem Stepanov himself look promising. Despite the team's failure, he demonstrated a high level of physical fitness and the ability to solve tasks in attack. The rights to the 19-year-old Ukrainian belong to the German club Bayer, which values its trainee's transfer price at 5 million euros. A successful performance in the Netherlands could be the key to a full return to the German top club or a new successful transfer. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [VIDEO. Stepanov scored for Utrecht against AZ, but it didn't save them from defeat](https://sport.ua/news/898464-video-stepanov-zabil-za-utreht-v-vorota-az-no-eto-ne-spaslo-ot-porazheniya) - Подтверждает поражение 1:4 и гол Степанова. - [VIDEO. Stepanov scored his first goal of the season, hitting the AZ goal](https://sport.ua/news/898439-video-stepanov-zabil-perviy-gol-v-sezone-poraziv-vorota-az) - Подтверждает поражение 1:4 и гол Степанова. - [Spectacular diving shot: Artem Stepanov scored his first goal in the new season](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/ukrainians/1786817723-yeffektnyy-udar-v-padenii-artem-stepanov-otmetilsya-pervym-golom-v-novom-sezone.html) - Содержит ошибку в итоговом счете (сообщает о победе, факт — поражение). - [Eredivisie: Stepanov's goal brought Utrecht a convincing victory over AZ Alkmaar](https://www.ua-football.com/foreign/netherlands/1772386443-yeredivizi-gol-stepanova-prines-utrehtu-ubeditelnuyu-pobedu-nad-az-alkmarom.html) - Содержит ошибку в итоговом счете (сообщает о победе, факт — поражение). ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many goals did Artem Stepanov score in this match? **A:** Artem Stepanov scored one goal in the 62nd minute of the match. ### Q: What was the final score of the match between Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar? **A:** Utrecht lost with a score of 1:4. ### Q: Which club does Artem Stepanov belong to? **A:** The rights to the player belong to the German club Bayer (Leverkusen); he plays for Utrecht on loan.