Swinging AZ Starts Eredivisie Season with a Win

Published on 13 augustus 23, 16:19

Compared to Thursday, Pascal Jansen made two changes to his lineup. Ruben van Bommel made his starting debut for AZ, replacing the suspended Jesper Karlsson. Jens Odgaard returned to the starting lineup at the expense of Lahdo.

Early Goal
The opening minutes were delightful. Just three minutes in, Yukinari Sugawara stepped up for a free kick. His attempt, thanks to Jeffrey de Lange's fingertips, narrowly missed the goal. From the ensuing corner, Pantelis Hatzidiakos narrowly headed wide. Half a minute later, AZ struck. Van Bommel intercepted the ball from Jamal Amofa and found Clasie, who finished brilliantly with a lovely lob.

Doubling the Lead
AZ hungered for more and doubled the lead within fifteen minutes. A delightful strike from Sugawara from a corner was headed in from close range by Vangelis Pavlidis for a 2-0 lead! AZ was in a rhythm, showcasing a series of beautiful combinations that led to opportunities in front of the Deventer goal. A cross from Odgaard was just tipped away by De Lange, and shortly after, Pavlidis hit the crossbar following a splendid cross from compatriot Hatzidiakos.

Ruben van Bommel
In the second half, AZ continued where they left off. Pavlidis beat De Lange to the ball, provided a cross for Van Bommel, and the Eredivisie debutant headed in for the third goal. AZ dominated proceedings in Alkmaar. However, after over an hour of play, they conceded a goal. Philippe Rommens scored beautifully from a free kick. Mathew Ryan prevented further damage with a fantastic save.

Closing Moments
In the final quarter-hour of the match, AZ came close to Go Ahead Eagles' goal several times. After a swift attack involving substitute Mayckel Lahdo, Pavlidis narrowly missed converting the ball. A shot from Dani de Wit from a corner was impressively saved by De Lange. Near the end, Ernest Poku was fouled and the attacker earned a penalty after Video Assistant Referee Alex Bos called referee Danny Makkelie to the screen. Dani de Wit converted from the penalty spot. Lahdo made it even better. In the very last second, the striker secured the final score of 5-1.

MATCH STATISTICS
AZ - Go Ahead Eagles 5-1 (2-0)
Eredivisie

AZ Lineup: Mathew Ryan; Yukinari Sugawara, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Riechedly Bazoer (61. Alexandre Penetra), David Møller Wolfe; Jordy Clasie, Sven Mijnans, Dani de Wit; Jens Odgaard (61. Ernest Poku), Vangelis Pavlidis, Ruben van Bommel (61. Mayckel Lahdo).
Go Ahead Eagles Lineup: Jeffrey de Lange; Mats Deijl, Gerrit Nauber, Jamal Amofa (46. Joris Kramer), Bas Kuipers; Xander Blomme (46. Enric Llansana), Philippe Rommens (88. Evert Linthorst), Willum Willumsson; Bobby Adekanye (46. Oliver Edvardsen), Victor Edvardsen, Jakob Breum (68. Sylla Sow).

Scoring: 4. Clasie 1-0, 15. Pavlidis 2-0, 51. Van Bommel 3-0, 66. Rommens 3-1, 87. D. De Wit 4-1, 90+3. Lahdo 5-1.
Referee: Danny Makkelie
Yellow Cards: Amofa, Nauber (Go Ahead Eagles), D. De Wit, Hatzidiakos (AZ)
Attendance: 16,782.