Jordy Clasie: ‘We need to play with more confidence’ Jordy Clasie saw AZ fail the first test of the season. “I think we need to play with more confidence,” said the AZ captain to Ziggo Sport. “If you see our preparation, we have shown really good football in flashes. But those are the friendly matches, today is the first time for real and then we don’t perform. That is something for us, also for myself, to improve. We need to take steps in that if you want to aim high this year.”
Maarten Martens: ‘Angry about the fourth goal’ AZ trainer Maarten Martens was not happy with his team after the blunder against Ilves Tampere. “We need to be very critical. You have to dominate your opponent in duels and in aggressiveness, we let ourselves be put away too easily,” he said to Ziggo Sport. “I see the scoreboard now and I am especially critical of minute 68 and 70. That is unacceptable, we don’t keep our agreements. Especially the fourth goal I am most angry about. Too many guys are not concerned with the team, then you are very far behind the facts.”
Finished! It’s over for FC Utrecht. The team fell behind, but came alongside via two perfect volleys from a corner. Blake determined the final score and provided a large margin. The return match next week seems a formality. FC Utrecht should not give this away.
85′ There is little to report from Moldova, both teams create virtually nothing. It seems to be waiting for the final whistle.
80′ In the final phase, Jaygo van Ommeren also makes his debut for FC Utrecht. The seventeen-year-old talent in midfield comes from the youth of FC Utrecht, where he started in 2017. Earlier, Dani de Wit already made his official debut for Ron Jans’ team.
71′ GOAL FC Utrecht! 1-3
On the other side, it is indeed a hit, and not even from a corner. Blake dribbles into the penalty area and shoots wonderfully into the far corner. This diptych seems already decided.
68′ How does he do this?! Yade is played in front of an open goal, but shoots wide! What a luck for FC Utrecht.
Nice milestone for Nick Viergever: the FC Utrecht captain just scored his tenth goal for FC Utrecht. The defender did that very beautifully with a volley from a corner. Viergever is playing his 89th match for the Domstedelingen.
53′ GOAL FC Utrecht! 1-2
Wow, what a goal! The same recipe as with the first goal of FC Utrecht. El Karouani delivers a perfect corner and this time it is Viergever who plucks the ball from the air and shoots in very hard. His attempt has a difficult bounce and is therefore unstoppable for the Sheriff keeper. Jans walks smiling to his staff, just like with the first goal: they have trained this well.
46′ Kick-off second half! Here we go again, Sheriff and FC Utrecht start the second half with a 1-1 score.
Finished! The goal festival in Finland is over. It looked like a disgrace for AZ, but Meerdink limited the damage in the final phase. The final score: 4-3. So there are still possibilities for the return next week Thursday.
90+1′ GOAL AZ! 4-3
Look, it is Meerdink who limits the damage for AZ. The substitute shoots in the 4-3 on a pass from Mijnans. With that, Meerdink gives himself a nice birthday present.
Half time! In Moldova the whistle has blown for the break. To the anger of Sheriff, who would have liked to continue playing for a while. It remains 1-1.
33′ GOAL FC Utrecht! 1-1
It is raining goals this Thursday evening. This is already the fifth goal in fifteen minutes! Fortunately, the Dutch spectator can also cheer again, because Jensen smashes in the equalizer from a corner for FC Utrecht. The goal is celebrated with the travelling fans as Europa League win.
71′ GOAL Ilves! 4-2
It is now becoming very embarrassing for AZ. Soderback ensures with a distance shot that Zoet has to fish the ball out of his goal again. Meerdink, Buurmeester and Jensen are now preparing for a substitute appearance. Can they turn this match around?
68′ GOAL Ilves! 3-2
Oops, again it cracks at AZ in defensive terms. Koopmeiners is outsmarted by Akinyemi, who shoots Ilves back in the lead.
24′ GOAL Sheriff! 1-0
Sheriff shows how dangerous a throw-in can be. Rai reaches Ademo, who works the ball into the Utrecht goal with a difficult bounce.
61′ GOAL AZ! 2-2
Mijnans has been on the field for less than three minutes when he gets the ball at his feet in the box. He shoots the rebound flawlessly and immediately proves his value. The midfielder, who is on the radar of PSV, still had to start on the bench.
17′ FC Utrecht escapes an early deficit. A low cross goes past everything and everyone until Yade puts his foot against the ball. Fortunately for the away team, there is little power behind his shot, so Barkas can easily save.
The battle for a place in the next preliminary round for the Conference and Europa League is about two matches. AZ and FC Utrecht will play the return matches at home next week Thursday.
46′ Kick-off second half! From now on it will be a multitasking match, because AZ is also playing again. Maarten Martens’ team must make up for a 2-1 deficit.
1′ Kick-off! The ball is also rolling in Moldova. FC Utrecht starts the European season against FC Sheriff.
It is not going well for AZ for the time being, especially defensively it looks vulnerable. If you look at the statistics, the Alkmaarders do have the upper hand. But they will really have to turn that into goals in the second half.
Half time! And there is also the halftime signal. AZ will have imagined the adventure in Finland differently. Let’s see if the tea can bring change.
45+2′ GOAL Ilves! 2-1
Ai, again Riski hurts AZ. He is left free in the penalty area and heads the perfect cross from Ulundu hard inside.
45′ Ilves is certainly not planning to give it away just like that. Tiitinen produces a dangerous header. Zoet can just prevent AZ from falling behind again with his fingertips.
37′ Back to the present, because Smit tries it from a distance for AZ. Ilves keeper Virtanen barely keeps his goal clean.
28′ Again the tandem Smit-Parrott causes danger. This time the shot of the 23-year-old Irishman is not hard enough.
16′ GOAL AZ! 1-1
Parrott puts things in order! Top talent Smit dribbles into the box and sees Parrott coming up in the corner of his eye. Smit plays off to the striker, who subtly shoots in. They don’t really cheer though…
8′ GOAL Ilves! 1-0
Oh oh oh, no one saw that coming. While AZ attacker Poku causes danger with an inward shot, Ilves quickly turns the game around. Rale delivers a brilliant pass to Riski, who mercilessly shoots in one-on-one with Zoet. A false start for AZ.
5′ Koopmeiners provides the first shot on behalf of AZ, but his attempt goes a few meters wide. It is going equally for the time being.
1′ Kick-off! The ball is rolling in Finnish Tampere. AZ hopes to take the first step towards the main phase of the Conference League against Ilves.