Moderate AZ chokes on Dundee United and has to pull out all the stops at home

AZ have done themselves a disservice by losing 1-0 at Dundee United. The Alkmaarders played sloppy in the game in the third preliminary round of the Conference League and did not really claim a better result for a moment.

AZ still played without the brand new purchase Riechedly Bazoer, he was left ill in the Netherlands. Another purchase, Jens Odgaard, was unable to participate due to an injury. Odgaard still excelled in the previous preliminary round, in which AZ had no child at the Bosnian Tuzla City FC.

In an almost sold-out Tannadice Park, the Scots left the ball to AZ at the beginning. When after fifteen minutes it turned out that the Alkmaarders didn’t really do much with it, Dundee United crawled out of its shell, to the delight of the enthusiastic audience.

The first keeper to intervene was that of AZ. Hobie Verhulst was not surprised by a shot into the far corner. Dundee United became stronger, and AZ could not take advantage of the many spaces that the Scots gave away. Still, not much happened, so that the halftime score did not surprise anyone: 0-0.

The first opportunity after the break was also for Dundee United, for veteran Steven Fletcher. The 35-year-old striker, who played in the Premier League for years at Sunderland, among others, and also scored goals at Marseille, got the ball out of the box but shot hopelessly wide.

It was not surprising that Dundee United finally appeared first on the scoreboard. After an hour of play, Glenn Middleton set up a one-two with a teammate after he had already outwitted two AZ players with a feint. Middleton got the ball back and placed the ball with the left in the far corner behind the hopeless Verhulst: 1-0.

Even after the goal, AZ did not manage to create opportunities. Three minutes before time, Dundee United goalkeeper Mark Birighitti needed the first real save. The Australian, who was still under contract with NAC Breda in the 2017/2018 season, processed Vangelis Pavlidis’ shot well and pushed the ball to the outside.

AZ coach Pascal Jansen was careful with his substitutions in Scotland. The only player he took off was winger Mayckel Lahdo, in favor of the young Myron Brederode, although things did not go well at AZ. AZ also had no more chances in the final phase, so it remained at 1-0.

Next Thursday is the return of the game, in Alkmaar. If AZ manage to make up for the deficit of one goal, it will have to play one more round to reach the group stage of the Conference League.

In the play-off round they will meet the winner of the diptych between Latvian Riga FC and Portuguese Gil Vicente. The first game between those clubs ended in 1-1 on Wednesday.