Willem II has lost the home game against AZ. In an ice cold King Willem II Stadium, the Tilburgers had little or nothing to say the entire game against the much better footballing AZ. The result could have fallen even higher if the Alkmaarders had been a little more lucky: the guests hit four times pole or bar.
Before the start of the game there was a minute of silence for Jimmy Calderwood, former trainer of Willem II, and Wim Crapts, who supported the Tilburg club as an entrepreneur and supporter. The two died about two weeks ago.
AZ dictated almost the entire game on Sunday evening. Especially the first half was the team of trainer Maarten Martens Lord and Meester. Shortly after the kick -off, striker Troy Parrott shot on the post, a minute later Jayden Addai does the same. Willem II did not bring anything against it and hardly came from the own half. An Alkmaarse Treffer could therefore not have failed. After the video referee had seen a violation of Amar Ahmed Fatah on Addai, AZ received a penalty. The Irishman Troy Parrot used the penalty kick and left Jeroen Zoet without a chance.
Addai hit the post again, a few minutes before AZ midfielder Sven Mijnans punished an error in the Tilburg structure: 0-2. A justified score: William II had not had any chance and had not even shot at goal once.
In the second half, the Alkmaarders believed it and took some gas back. Nevertheless, AZ retained the most chances and shot it again for a change.
Just before time, Jeremy Bokila got one of the scarce chances for the Tilburgers. The attacker was just short of tapping the ball over the goal line. Not much later the same Bokila received a second yellow card and therefore a red one and he could go to the dressing room.
AZ could even make a third goal in injury time, but thanks to good goalkeeper work by Thomas Didillon-Hödl it remained at 0-2. The Tilburgers should not even complain about that, the unequal duel could also have ended in a punishment.
Because of the loss, William II is forced to look down. The formation is only two points above number 15, a place that gives the right to play in the Eredivisie again next year.