AZ beat FC Groningen (3-1), Ajax (2-0) and Quick Boys (3-1) in the previous rounds. All matches were played in Alkmaar. Heracles successively found FC Winterswijk (0-1), NEC (1-0), De Graafschap (0-2) and FC Utrecht (2-0).
This season, both teams played against each other in Alkmaar and AZ won difficult with 1-0. Mayckel Lahdo made the difference in the 89th minute. The last visit to Almelo went less well: on April 3 last year, AZ was swept from the artificial grass with no less than 5-0.
For the last mutual cup meeting we have to go back to 2021 when AZ won at home 4-1. Of the current selection, only Jordy Clasie and Bruno Martins Indi were in the base.
The stadium in Almelo is sold out with more than twelve thousand spectators. Our reporters Stephan Brandhorst and Erik-Jan Brinkman will keep you informed of all the events in this game.
Final
The winner will continue to the final in the Rotterdam Kuip on Easter Monday (April 21, kick -off 6 p.m.). Go Ahead Eagles was the first to qualify last night by surprisingly beating PSV in Eindhoven (1-2). The last final of AZ was in 2018 when Feyenoord was 3-0 too strong.
NH Sport is there tonight from 7 p.m. Presentation: Edward Dekker. Of course you can also follow the competition online and in the app through our live blog.