The 0-4 victory at Tuzla City and reaching the third qualifying round of the Conference League is satisfying at AZ, but there is no question of a hosanna vote. The Alkmaarders know that the first hurdle to the group stage can hardly be called a hurdle.
“With all due respect, you just have to make three or four against such a team,” De Wit said after the return in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ESPN. “Last week we failed to do that. That’s how it went at the start of this game, but luckily we still managed to score more often. This is good for the feeling.”
AZ ‘only’ won the first leg with 1-0 and could therefore not fully loosen the reins in the return. It was also 0-1 in Sarajevo halfway through a goal from De Wit, but it never got really exciting. AZ simply walked away from Tuzla City after the break via Mayckel Lahdo, Vangelis Pavlidis and Fedde de Jong.
“In the first half they were quite tough, I have to admit that,” said trainer Pascal Jansen about the European debutant. “It also started a bit slow, but the goal came at the right time. That was also the case after the break and then we played it out easily.”
Dani de Wit started the goal production at AZ again.
Dani de Wit started the goal production at AZ again. Photo: AP
Dundee United is better than Tuzla City
In the third qualifying round, AZ usually has a slightly stronger opponent. Dundee United qualified as number four in Scotland directly for the third qualifying round of the Conference League.
Where Jansen did not want to look ahead to the diptych with the Scots – “we must first delve into the opponent” – De Wit is clear. “We are now meeting a team that is better than Tuzla City. But we are obliged to win the games against Dundee United.”
AZ starts on August 4 with an away game against Dundee United. The return in Alkmaar is scheduled a week later. If AZ also deals with the Scots, one more opponent must be defeated to reach the group stage of the Conference League.