The group stage of the Conference League is within reach for AZ. The Alkmaarders won 4-0 at home against Gil Vicente tonight, thanks to hits from Dani de Wit, Mayckel Lahdo, Vangelis Pavlidis and Mees de Wit. A very deserved victory, because the Portuguese team hardly got involved in Alkmaar.
Energetic
In a reasonably filled AZ stadium, the home team started the play-offs of the Conference League energetically. Not always accurate, but Pascal Jansen’s team did play with great conviction. After striker Vangelis Pavlidis appeared dangerously in front of the goal a few times, it was Dani de Wit halfway through the first half who gave AZ the lead. It is the attacking midfielder’s fourth goal in this fledgling European season.
After the opening goal, AZ kept looking for the attack. Where the summer acquisitions Zinho Vanheusden, Riechedly Bazoer and Jens Odgaard were missing due to injuries. So did Jesper Karlsson. The Swedish star player has been injured all summer and his place against the Portuguese was once again taken by Myron van Brederode. Trainer Pascal Jansen chose the same eleven names as last weekend against Sparta.
Lahdo
After the break, AZ was still lord and master. Last season’s number five in the Portuguese league rarely came out and didn’t get any great opportunities. Tijjani Reijnders and Pavlidis gave AZ chances to take a bigger lead, but AZ was not always accurate in finishing. That happened about twenty minutes before time. Substitute Mayckel Lahdo tapped in a cross from Hakon Evjen’s right.
In the final phase, the Alkmaar party became even more beautiful with hits from Pavlidis and substitute Mees de Wit. Because of this result, AZ can no longer miss the group stage of the Conference League, the return next week in Northern Portugal is almost certainly a formality.
AZ setup: concealed; Hatzidiakos (Sugawara/87), Beukema, Martins Indi, Kerkez (De Wit/71); Clasie, Reijnders, D. De Wit; Evjen, Pavlidis (Barasi/87), Van Brederode (Lahdo/71).