The match only really caught fire late in the first half. Alkmaar opened the scoring at 40'02'' to move 1-0 ahead, but Gent answered quickly at 41'49'', wiping out the lead before the interval. That rapid exchange set the tone for the rest of the evening, with the friendly turning into a sharp, back-and-forth contest rather than a controlled pre-season exercise.
Alkmaar restored their advantage at 50'08'' and looked set to carry that edge deep into the second half. Gent had other ideas. The visitors levelled again at 78'43'', then struck at 82'08'' to go 3-2 up and complete the turnaround. For a few minutes, Gent held the stronger position and seemed on course to take the result.
Instead, Alkmaar produced one more response. The home side made it 3-3 at 85'14'', dragging the game back to level terms and capping the final twist of the night. No further goal arrived after that, leaving the final score locked and the late drama to dominate the stats, highlights and post-match summary.