AZ Alkmaar took a significant step toward the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Thursday.
The Dutch side benefited from an own goal by Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall, giving them a valuable advantage ahead of the second leg in London next week.
Ahead of the match, AZ head coach Maarten Martens received a welcome boost as team captain Jordy Clasie returned to the starting lineup.
The midfielder had made a substitute appearance in the 3-1 loss to Heerenveen but was deemed fit enough to start, replacing Kristijan Belic in midfield.
This fixture marked the second meeting between the two teams in the competition, with Spurs having previously claimed victory during the league phase.
The breakthrough came early, in the 18th minute, when a corner was recycled into the penalty area. In an unfortunate moment for Tottenham, Bergvall mistimed his clearance, slicing the ball into his own net as it looped past the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
AZ dominated proceedings, as they had in previous Europa League outings at the AFAS Stadium.
They nearly doubled their lead around the half-hour mark when substitute Denso Kasius, who had replaced the injured Mayckel Lahdo, set up Troy Parrott with a golden opportunity. However, the Irish forward failed to capitalize against his former club.
Tottenham’s defense was put under immense pressure again before halftime. A clever chip from Seiya Maikuma picked out David Møller Wolfe in the box, sparking a chaotic goalmouth scramble.
AZ had four shots in quick succession, but Spurs defenders managed to block each one, keeping the deficit to just one goal.
The second half saw fewer attacking moments, with the best chance falling to Ernest Poku, who found himself unmarked in the box but failed to hit the target. Apart from that, neither side created many clear-cut opportunities.
Martens will be satisfied with his team’s hard-earned victory, though he is well aware that the return leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will pose a much greater challenge.
