http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/AZ-c38571 Alkmaar: Gertjan Verbeek’s men secure all three points – Eredivisie match report
AZ Alkmaar took full advantage of FC Groningen’s mistakes with a deserving 3-0 win at Euroborg Stadion on Sunday, August 28. Strikes from Nick Viergever, Johann Berg Gumundsson and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rasmus-Elm-c30628 were enough to take the outfit from Alkmaar to just three points
from league leaders, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Twente-c39233 Enschede.
Pieter Huistra, Groningen manager, opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with Tim Matavz playing as the lone striker while Peter Andersson acted as an attacking midfielder. Dusan Tadic and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Danny-Holla-c10209
and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Brian-van-Loo-c8072 stood under the crossbar.
Gertjan Verbeek, AZ head coach, also fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Brett-Holman-c8047 penetrated from wide areas while Pontus Wernbloom and Elm controlled the
game from the centre of the pitch. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Esteban-Alvarado-c12908 stood tall between the posts.
The Green-White-Army started the match poorly, as the visitors took only 43 seconds to take the lead. The home side’s defence poorly cleared a Holman corner and Viergever tapped in from a few yards out to give his side a 1-0 lead.
After conceding an early goal, the hosts started to show some resistance and came close to levelling the score-line in the 14th minute, but Holla’s powered left-footed effort went inches over the bar, much to the dismay of Huistra.
The outfit from Alkmaar responded well to the modest spell of pressure when Holman ran down the left flank before working his way into the box, but failed to find the target and saw his left-footed effort go narrowly wide.
Just before the break, the hosts had a good opportunity to score their opening goal, but Bacuna’s shot sailed over the bar after Burnet’s cross had found him in the area. At the half-time break, the visitors were leading 1-0.
Groningen started proceedings after the break rather aggressively but their attack pack lacked the finishing touches, squandering many goalscoring opportunities without any damage to the visitors.
AZ took advantage of the poor finishing and doubled their lead 11 minutes from time through Gudmundsson. The 20-year-old made an impressive run from his own half and pierced the hosts’ back-line before his left footed effort found the top left corner. In
the 84th minute, Elm curled in a free-kick from 17 yards to seal the match 3-0.
AZ will face http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/SC-Heerenveen-c40463 at Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday, September 11.
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