UEFA Europa League: AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Malmo FF: Match report
AZ Alkmaar cruised to a forceful 4-1 victory over Malmo FF in their opening UEFA Europa League group stage encounter at AFAS Stadion on Thursday, September 15.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Brett-Holman-c8047 put the match beyond the reach of the visitors.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniel-Larsson-c10002 managed to pull one back in the last 20 minutes of the match, but it was too little too late for the Swedish outfit.
Gertjan Verbeek, AZ head coach, fielded the usual 4-3-3 formation to start the match. Altidore played as the centre forward while Holman and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roy-Beerens-c31808 proved to be a constant menace on the flanks.
Maher, Elm and Pontus Wernbloom occupied the midfield. Simon Busk Poulsen, Nick Viergever, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Esteban-Alvarado-c12908 guarded the net.
Rikard Norling, Di blae manager, opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Math Ranegie and Larsson playing upfront. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jimmy-Durmaz-c18560 controlled the game from the midfield.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Johan-Dahlin-c18777 stood between the posts.
The match started aggressively and the visitors tested AZ’s goalkeeper in the early moments of the match. Ranegie fired one wide of the target while Durmaz’s effort from 20 yards was easily kept out by Alvarado.
AZ started to gain momentum as the match progressed. In the 21st minute, Altidore scored a screamer to put the home side in front. A poorly cleared ball fell in the path of the American ace, whose right footed strike from 30 yards found the top
right corner.
In the 33rd minute, the home side doubled their lead through Elm. Ricardinho fouled on Beerens inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty to the hosts without any hesitation. Elm stepped up to take the spot-kick and made no mistake in hitting
the top right corner.
Six minutes before the break, Maher extinguished Di blae’s hopes of making a comeback when his right-footed volley found the back of the net, leaving Dahlin helpless between the posts.
The referee, then, brought the proceedings to a halt at end of the first half with the outfit from Alkmaar leading 3-0.
The home side started the match after the break impressively as the visitors’ goalkeeper made a save moments later to prevent Holman from adding his name to the score-sheet. However, the winger found the back of the net barely after four minutes of action
in the second-half.
With the score-line reading 4-0, Di blae seemed to be out of the match completely. However, they still searched for a consolation goal and the visitors pulled one back through Larsson 18 minutes from time.
Riejnen fouled the Swedish ace inside the area and the man in charge awarded a spot-kick. The 24-year-old dispatched the resulting penalty into the top-left corner.
Both sides tried their luck in the remaining time but failed to score any further goals. The match ended in an easy 4-1 win in favour of the home side.
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