The wonderful evening has arrived! AZ and Ajax now officially start the European campaign. The Alkmaarders are in top form playing against Zrinjski Mostar. Almost immediately afterwards, Ajax, where things are going wrong both sportingly and administratively, starts the match against Olympique Marseille. You can stay informed about the European evening via our live blog!
6.45 pm: Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 4-3 (Conference League)
9 p.m.: Ajax – Olympique Marseille (Europa League)
Because Ajax fails to close the match, Olympique Marseille equalizes. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shoots the French level.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 3-3
Excellent attack from Ajax. Brian Brobbey has run off, lays neatly wide for Steven Bergwijn, but the captain finds the goalkeeper with his shot that should have gone more to the corner.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 3-2
Things are going fast again in the second half. Again chances on both sides and Ajax takes the lead. Forbs pulls back on Taylor and he shoots Ajax to 3-2.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 3-2
Ajax and Olympique Marseille have started the second half.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-2
Where the Johan Cruijff Arena exploded after the goals of Carlos Forbs and Steven Berghuis, whistling now sounds from the stands. The audience sees that Ajax lets the match slip away after taking a comfortable lead against Olympique Marseille.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-2
This is unbelievable… Ajax is also allowing the opponent to come back into the match tonight. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shoots past Olympique Marseille with a slider in the short corner in the Johan Cruijff Arena.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-2
Plenty of space for Olympique Marseille, after which Iliman Ndiaye receives the ball, passes around Sutalo and hits the crossbar. On the rebound, Ounahi taps the ball into Gorter’s hands.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-1
The French are quickly returning the favor in Amsterdam. Great action by right back Jonathan Clauss, who then shoots in hard.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-1
It’s happened again! Ajax takes a 2-0 lead through Steven Berghuis. The midfielder scores nicely from a corner kick.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 2-0
Olympique Marseille with the perfect opportunity to level the score. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang received a gift from Josip Sutalo after which he went one-on-one with Gorter, but the Ajax goalkeeper made a good save.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 1-0
Marseille gets the first chance from a free kick. Renan Lodi shoots the ball sky-high over Gorter’s goal.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 1-0
An early lead for Ajax! A defender from Olympique Marseille makes a mistake with a long ball from goalkeeper Jay Gorter. Carlos Forbs then approaches the goalkeeper alone and easily slides in.
Ajax – Olympique Marseille 1-0
Ajax has also started the group phase. In a sold-out Johan Cruijff Arena, the pressure is on for the Amsterdam team, who are in a sporting and administrative crisis. A good result against Olympique Marseille may work as medicine.
Peace has also returned between the Arena and the train station, reports say AT5. Supporters were stopped there by riot police to prevent them from getting close to Marseille fans. A number of Ajax supporters tried to break out, which led to the confrontation of which we have shown images.
A police spokesperson reports that several Ajax supporters have been arrested. It is unclear how many are involved and what exactly they were arrested for. Earlier today it was announced that 12 people had been arrested among Marseille supporters.
Another great opportunity for AZ. Ibrahim Sadiq gets the ball in front of his foot, but shoots straight at the keeper.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 4-3
Vangelis Pavlidis had the chance to put AZ on level terms. However, the Greek striker headed narrowly wide.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 4-3
To make matters worse, AZ falls behind against Zrinjski Mostar. The Alkmaarders led 0-3 in Bosnia, but saw Kozulj make it 4-3 for Zrinjski. With ten minutes to go, Pascal Jansen’s team really has to get going.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 4-3
It’s unbelievable but true! Zrinjski Mostar draws level against AZ. The Alkmaarders give up a 3-0 lead. Aldin Hranovic shoots the ball hard into the corner.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 3-3
A remarkable goal against for AZ. Josip Corluka comes in from the right and puts the ball over Mathew Ryan. The AZ goalkeeper sees the bet end up in the intersection. The people of Alkmaar now have to keep their wits about them.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 2-3
Vangelis Pavlidis solos between a number of defenders and shoots against the post from outside the sixteen.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 1-3
Near the Johan Cruijff Arena, Ajax supporters confronted the riot police. Things also get grim on the north side of the stadium. The riot police and police dogs are stationed between supporters of Ajax and Olympique Marseille.
Despite the goal, there is no problem for AZ in Mostar. The Alkmaarders are again the parent and get opportunities through Clasie, De Wit and Pavlidis.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 1-3
Goalkeeper Mathew Ryan is surprised with a free kick. Kozulj shoots a free kick from the side hard into the short corner.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 1-3
The ball is rolling again in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-3
Compared to the match against FC Twente (3-1 loss), Maurice Steijn opts for a changed team. Anton Gaaei, Kenneth Taylor and Carlos Forbs start against Olympique Marseille. This is at the expense of Devyne Rensch, Sivert Mannsverk and Chuba Akpom.
The last time Ajax and Olympique Marseille faced each other was in 2009. Marco van Basten was the coach at Ajax at the time. In Amsterdam, the teams were stuck at a 2-2 draw after Marseille won the home game 2-1. Eyong Enoh and Miralem Sulejmani scored on behalf of the Amsterdam team.
In the Johan Cruijff Arena, two teams will face each other from 9 p.m. where it will be quite restless. Ajax is not doing too well sportingly with five points from four games and on Tuesday a dubious role of technical manager Sven Mislintat became known in the transfer of Borna Sosa.
Trainer Marcelino resigned from Olympique Marseille yesterday. The Brazilian was threatened by his own supporters. He was so shocked by this that he and his staff left Marseille. The French club took nine points in the first five competition games.
The match starts at 9 p.m. in Amsterdam.
AZ goes to rest with a 3-0 lead against Zrinjski Mostar. The team of coach Pascal Jansen plays the opponent from pillar to post at times. Myron van Brederode, Sven Mijnans and Dani de Wit were accurate.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-3
Things are going fast in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dani de Wit gives AZ a comfortable 3-0 lead. The midfielder was released in the penalty area, can turn and shoot the ball into the corner via a defender.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-3
After just over half an hour, AZ doubled their lead. Dani de Wit’s header is saved by the goalkeeper, but Sven Mijnans scores the 0-2 on the rebound.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-2
Zrinjski becomes dangerous for the first time from a corner kick. Marijo Cuze’s header lacks power and can easily be caught by Mathew Ryan.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-1
Myron van Brederode gives AZ a 1-0 lead against Zrinjski Mostar. The winger hits the ball with the inside of his foot from a cross from Mayckel Lahdo.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-1
Jordy Clasie catches a deflected cross and then fires at Zrinsjki’s goal. Goalkeeper Marko Maric taps the ball over with a beautiful gliding dive after the bet was changed direction.
Zrinjski Mostar – AZ 0-0
Referee Donald Robertson (Scotland) blew his whistle before the start of Zrinjski Mostar – AZ.
Before the match against Zrinjski, Pascal Jansen discusses the expectations of AZ, which reached the semi-finals last year. “You will notice that. That is not surprising. If you were stranded in the semi-finals last year, then you have built up quite a reputation. That is all in the past, but that offers no guarantee for the present .”
The AZ trainer zooms in on the quality of the opponent. “In their way of playing, the counter is very emphatically locked up. That is not strange in this region. We experience that regularly. Controlling the counter is important for tonight.”
Zrinjski line-up: Marko Maric; Josip Corluka, Stipe Radic, Slobodan Jakovljevic, Kerim Memija; Antonio Ivancic, Andrija Balic, Dario Canadija; Mario Cuze, Nemanja Bilbija; Mario Ticinovic.
Zrinjski is the first club from Bosnia and Herzegovina to play in a group stage of a European tournament. Last year, AZ met Tuzla City in the preliminary rounds of the Conference League, but they did not make it against the Alkmaarders.
Ajax director Sven Mislintat is not present in the Johan Cruijff Arena. The technical director is under fire after his dubious role in the transfer of Borna Sosa to Ajax. An investigation has now been launched into Mislintat. The German will work under cover during the ongoing investigation and will not be present in the Johan Cruijff Arena for the time being.
In total, Zrinjski Mostar won the national title eight times, including the last two seasons. Last season it won the double. And with 67 European matches, the reigning champion has the necessary experience in various European tournaments, but the Bosnian team has never participated in the group stage.
To get into the main tournament, AZ and Ajax both had to survive preliminary rounds. AZ entered the third qualifying round. It easily dealt with FC Santa Coloma from Andorra (0-1 and 2-0). In the play-offs, SK Brann from Norway was defeated after penalties in a spectacular match after the score was 1-1 and 3-3.
Ajax only had to pass one preliminary round to progress to the main tournament of the Europa League. Coach Maurice Steijn’s team won convincingly 4-1 in the play-offs against Ludogorets in Bulgaria. Although the return in Amsterdam was lost 1-0, Ajax qualified for the group stage in two games.
The most notable absentee from AZ’s selection for the European away match against HŠK Zrinjski Mostar is Ernest Poku. The talented attacker is ill and remains behind in the Netherlands. However, goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro and midfielder Tiago Dantas return to the Alkmaar selection after injuries.
Selection AZ:
Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan, Hobie Verhulst, Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
Defenders: Yukinari Sugawara, Alexandre Penetra, David Møller Wolfe, Maxim Dekker, Riechedly Bazoer, Wouter Goes, Denso Kasius.
Midfielders: Tiago Dantas, Jordy Clasie, Dani de Wit, Djordje Mihailovic, Sven Mijnans, Kenzo Goudmijn.
Attackers: Jens Odgaard, Vangelis Pavlidis, Ibrahim Sadiq, Ruben van Bommel, Myron van Brederode, Mayckel Lahdo.
AZ and Ajax start their first match in the group stage in Europe tonight. AZ will take on Zrinsjki Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina at 6:45 PM. Ajax starts the home match against Olympique Marseille at 9 p.m.