In a sun-drenched Alkmaar, AZ effortlessly won 3-0 against FC Groningen. With a goal and a few flashy actions, Ernest Poku was the seasoning of Alkmaar. “It was already a while ago.”
It was a redeeming afternoon for Ernest Poku. After some criticism here and there – ‘beautiful football, but little return’ – the wing attacker finally scores a goal again. “I was relieved. It was already a while ago,” says Poku afterwards.
The 1-0 was already on the scoreboard when Poku placed an impressive gear from the center line towards the goal of FC Groningen goalkeeper Etienne Veeden. Poku played Vaessen and shot the ball in the ropes for his second goal of the season. “I trusted at my own speed and knew what I was going to do.”
After the mental tap of the lost cup final, AZ seems to have recovered again. Today, captain Sven Mijnans took his team at hand. He led his team with the opening goal, fast combinations and creative actions to a dominant victory.
Replacement of Goes
Due to a suspension of defender Wouter Goes and an injury to striker Troy Parrott, two players today had the opportunity to prove themselves again in the base. Mexx Meerdink, the striker who already scored eight goals as a substitute, was keen on a goal and headed in the 3-0 in the second half to decide the game.
Whether replacement Maxim Dekker has as much Grinta as Wouter Goes, this competition was not visible. The defender did not feel well until the break, but recovered in the second half. “He did well. Then you see that it is a boy for the future,” said trainer Maarten Martens.
View the comment from Maarten Martens below.
FC Groningen supporters make an impression
Today FC Groningen missed the pit that you would expect from a club that struggles for a place in the play-offs for European football. The only bright spot were the approximately 750 supporters. At a 3-0 lagging, they sang their team from full breasts to the whistle for the last 10 minutes.
On Wednesday, AZ travels to Enschede for the game with FC Twente (8 p.m.). There, too, the team of Maarten Martens will have to prove itself again if it does not want to be harmed in the battle for place five in the competition. This competition can be followed live in an extra radio broadcast from NH Sport on NH Radio.