Melle Meulensteen shoots Go Ahead Eagles with a ‘double’ to draw against disappointed AZ

Due to the draw against Go Ahead, which is ranked seven places lower, AZ has to give up a place in the rankings again: it was overtaken by Ajax in the fifteenth round and dropped from fourth to fifth place.

‘Red’ thunders through speakers at the AZ stadium, Marco Borsato witnessed live

The club from Alkmaar seemed to be heading for a three-point goal for a long time, but Melle Meulensteen prevented the first AZ victory in five competition matches from a distance. The controlling midfielder was the man of the match with his two goals. On November 2, the Martens team recorded its last Eredivisie victory at Sparta.

Hospital ball from AZ captain Sven Mijnans introduces the opening goal of Go Ahead

A vicious punt from Wessley Patati in the third minute was the first achievement of the reprise of last season’s cup final, won by ‘Kowet’ by the way. Troy Parrott was much brighter than Melle Meulensteen a few minutes later, after a header full of worries from Mats Deijl, but Jari De Busser remained cool after a blow from the Irish striker.

AZ coach Maarten Martens looks back on a dark period: ‘The boys are not allowed to play hide and seek’

A hospital ball from Sven Mijnans resulted in the first chance and goal for Go Ahead Eagles. Meulensteen, now attentive, beat AZ keeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro in two attempts: 0-1. It could just as well have been 1-1 after a Zlatan-like solo by Mees de Wit, but De Busser duly reduced his goal, as he also turned away Parrott’s header.

AZ striker Troy Parrott sweeps in the 1-1 with his head of hair

However, the cup winner from Deventer did anything but hide and came through several times playing good football. Victor Edvardsen should have doubled the lead after an excellent action by the emerging Dean James, but the Danish mourner shot too hastily and straight at Owusu-Oduro.

A minute later the net bulged, but on the other side. The mirrored right back Mees de Wit, who prefers to play on the left, delivered a flawless cross from the right flank that Parrott only had to brush his head of hair against: 1-1. These are the eighth competition goals of the season.

Go Ahead Eagles captain Mats Deijl misses and shoots into his own goal

The best attack of the first half was from Go Ahead, but the guests did not score a goal. After a back heel from Milan Smit and a cross from Mathis Suray, Deijl headed wide. One hundred seconds later, the Deventer captain pushed the ball into the goal, his own goal that is. Mijnans tried to reach Parrott, Deijl interrupted the attack and tapped the ball past the bewildered De Busser: 2-1.

The home club immediately accelerated after the break, which resulted in two dangerous shots from Mexican left back Mateo Chavez. After an hour, Eagles coach Melvin Boel brought fresh blood with Evert Linthorst and Kenzo Goudmijn, at the expense of Edvardsen and Salah Rahmouni, after Thibo Baeten had been brought in for Richonell Margaret immediately after tea. AZ colleague Martens gave his team new wings with Ro-Zangelo Daal and Ibrahim Sadiq.

Melle Meulensteen scores again in the hectic final phase: 2-2

Substitute Baeten took a vicious swing in the short corner, but Owusu-Oduro responded attentively. It was the start of a hectic final phase, in which AZ wanted to ‘kill’ the match and Go Ahead chased a draw. That point was there, especially when Meulensteen scored the 2-2 behind Owusu-Oduro from 30 meters.

Captain Mijnans also fired from distance, but his shot rolled narrowly wide. That was it, because the same Mijnans ruined a great opportunity just before the end.