Good evening! Another European evening is on the program for AZ and Ajax. AZ visits Ludogorets in Bulgaria and Ajax takes on Lazio in Amsterdam. In our live blog we will keep you informed of all developments in and around the stadiums.
Ludogorets – AZ 2-2
Ajax – Lazio 1-2
Remko Pasveer keeps Ajax going. The keeper initially saved on Loum Tchaouna’s effort and then on Taty Castellanos’ shot.
Ajax quickly falls behind again against Lazio. Remko Pasveer thinks he can save Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s shot, but the ball has already crossed the goal line.
Ajax quickly leveled! Bertrand Traoré slams a falling ball hard against the ropes. Just before that, Kenneth Taylor’s header was cleared off the line.
The ball rolls into the Johan Cruijff Arena for the second half. Ajax must reverse the deficit against Lazio.
Towards half-time the match suddenly goes from one side to the other. Lazio counters sharply, but cannot get a shot off and Ajax asks for a penalty when Bertrand Traoré goes to the ground.
This time Brian Brobbey puts his head against the ball better. He heads just wide from a cross from Steven Berghuis.
Taty Castellanos fires from outside the box, but Remko Pasveer sees the danger and even withdraws his hand when the ball goes wide.
What an opportunity for Ajax! A smart ball from Jordan Henderson, after which Devyne Rensch crosses the ball well to Brian Brobbey, who mistimes and heads wide.
A nice opportunity for Ajax. Mika Godts is put into position in the box, but his shot is blocked by a defender.
After a measured through ball from Pedro, Loum Tchaouna pushes the ball behind Remko Pasveer, who this time is left without the answer.
Pedro shoots with his right hand towards Remko Pasveer. The Ajax goalkeeper can easily grab the ball.
Bertrand Traoré with the first danger for Ajax. After a good attack, he curls the ball half a meter wide of Christos Mandas’ goal.
Ajax has started against Lazio. In an atmospheric Johan Cruijff Arena, Francesco Farioli’s team hopes to take a big step towards the next round.
Lazio is the current number five in Italy with three points less than leader Atalanta Bergamo. Last week the Romans won twice against Napoli. In the cup (3-1) and league (0-1), Lazio were the winners after ninety minutes. Lazio is second in the Europa League with thirteen points from five games. Only Athletic Bilbao does better with sixteen out of six. What can Ajax, number eight, do against Lazio later?
Mayckel Lahdo is sent away and shoots the ball high over the goal, although the ball goes via the leg of an opponent. AZ doesn’t get a corner.
Aguibou Camera shoots a falling ball high over the AZ goal. Ludogorets also wants to go for the win.
Mexx Meerdink shoots from far away and his shot goes straight into the hands of Sergio Padt.
AZ has a lot of difficulty creating opportunities. A shot by Ro-Zangelo Daal misses the right direction and a number of corner kicks were harmless. Can AZ still win?
The first danger of the substitute. Mexx Meerdink fails to make his passes and sees his shot go wide.
Ruben van Bommel is well put away, but his shot is blocked.
Ludogorets gets another great chance. It is almost a goal from a cross that sticks, but the ball is converted into a corner kick.
Within three minutes, AZ gives it all away! Kwadwo Duah heads in from a free kick at the near post. And so suddenly it’s 2-2.
Ludogorets with the tying goal… Ivaylo Chochev heads in from a free kick by Erick Marcus.
Come relax! A great solo by Ruben van Bommel, who also plays his opponent through the legs, but he encounters Sergio Padt. Moments later, Sven Mijnans shoots against the crossbar from outside the sixteen.
AZ pushes in the second half. After a subtle cross from Troy Parrott, Sven Mijnans heads narrowly wide of Sergio Padt’s goal.
Ernest Poku is tucked away on the right. He passes to Sven Mijnans, but does not do so perfectly, which means Mijnans has to hold back for a moment. His effort is headed away from the goal.
In Bulgaria the ball rolls again at Ludogorets – AZ. The Alkmaarders are ahead 0-2 thanks to goals from Ruben van Bommel and Seiya Maikuma.
Ajax wants to regain its footing against Lazio. In the Premier League it lost 2-1 to AZ last weekend and last week it was stuck in a 1-1 draw against FC Utrecht. In the Europa League, Ajax can rely on a very strong series. In the last three home games, the team from Amsterdam scored no fewer than 12 times and conceded 0 goals.
Ernest Poku is put away and shoots on goal. Sergio Padt saves from the effort of the AZ right winger.
There Ludogorets is for a moment in front of AZ’s goal. A header from Kwadwo Duah goes meters over the goal of Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
It seems to be a very easy evening for AZ. The Alkmaarders dominate the match and have not yet seen any danger from Ludogorets.
After AZ’s possession for a long time, the ball reaches Ruben van Bommel, who shoots the ball towards the corner and sees goalkeeper Sergio Padt save it.
Seiya Maikuma shoots the second AZ goal against the ropes with his left! The right back is outlawed in the penalty area and doubles the score.
A razor-sharp counter from AZ! Ruben van Bommel puts away Ernest Poku, who shoots at goalkeeper Sergio Padt and Van Bommel then heads in. The VAR briefly looked at offside, but the goal counts!
The first chance is for AZ. Alexandre Penetra heads over from a corner.
The ball rolls at Ludogorets – AZ.
Ludogorets starts with Sergio Padt on goal against AZ. Padt was still injured at the end of November, but last weekend he made his return against Botev Plovdiv. Ludogrets has not yet won in the Europa League. AZ has seven points after five games and can do very well tonight.
Ludogorets was founded in 2001 and rose to the highest level in Bulgaria in a number of years. The club from Razgrad has been playing at the highest level since 2011. Remarkably, they have also become Bulgarian champions every season since. The club won a total of thirteen national titles.
Mayor Femke Halsema previously decided that no away audiences would be welcome at the Europa League match between Ajax and Lazio Roma. According to her, the risk of right-wing extremist, anti-Semitic, racist expressions and disturbances is too great.
The match against Lazio is Ajax’s first European home match since the match against Maccabi Tel Aviv. There were several incidents of violence in the city around the match, against and by Maccabi supporters. The incidents and the days of unrest that followed in the city influenced the decision to ban the presence of Italian away fans. “The football match takes place during a period of great tension in the city. The priority of the triangle is to monitor and preserve public order, safety and peace.”
AZ takes on the Bulgarian Ludogorets from Razgrad. The Alkmaarders achieved seven points from five games in the Europa League and could do well to reach the next round. Ludogorets is in the bottom regions and has only played two points.
We are preparing for what will hopefully be a great Europa League evening. AZ and Ajax both take action. Follow everything in our live blog!