Sigthorsson at the double for AZ
Kolbeinn Sigthorsson scored twice as AZ Alkmaar made sure BATE Borisov finished the group stage of the Europa League on a low with a 3-0 victory.
Belarusian champions BATE were already qualified for the next stage going into their final fixture in Group E but any hopes they had of a winning finale were quickly dismissed and they had to settle for second place in the group.
AZ, who could not make the next stage of the competition, went ahead inside six minutes when Sigthorsson latched on to a long clearance to fire in the opener.
Both sides had chances after that but failed to add to the scoring until Sigthorsson struck from close range with six minutes remaining.
Adam Maher then added the third as AZ finally showed some late signs of interest as their European campaign came to a close.
BATE had the first opening when Renan Bressan shot from just outside the area but his effort was wide.
AZ took the lead less than a minute later when Sigthorsson scored with a shot from inside the area. Sigthorsson had been set up from a long ball from AZ goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
A close-range shot by Pontus Wernbloom was cleared by Alexander Yurevich before Romero saved when Bressan shot from distance and Pavel Nekhaychik fired wide as the home goal came under more pressure.
Wernbloom should have done better with an effort from six yards but he shot weakly and wide of the goal.
Brett Holman then crossed for Sigthorsson but his shot from close range was caught by BATE goalkeeper Sergey Veremko.
On the stroke of half-time Holman was denied when his shot from the edge of the area was tipped around the post by Veremko.
Dmitry Likhtarovich failed to test Romero with a weak shot from distance as BATE tried to open the second half on a positive note.
Veremko saved again as Sigthorsson tried to add to his tally with a shot from six yards.
AZ had a scare when Romero fumbled a free-kick which Bressan hit from 20 yards out but the danger was cleared.
Substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson shot wide of the BATE goal from 18 yards but AZ finally added to their tally.
With six minutes to go Sigthorsson finished from close range with a left-footed shot from a cross by Gudmundsson to kill off any hopes of a BATE fightback.
Inside a minute Maher completed the scoring following another pass by Gudmundsson to complete AZ's late flourish.
AZ 3-0 BATE: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
