AZ and FC Utrecht kept each other in balance in an insane match. Anastasios Douvikas and Vangelis both scored three goals in a memorable 5-5 draw. Due to the draw, AZ is one point behind leader Feyenoord, which will play against FC Twente on Sunday.
Pascal Jansen could not rely on Dani de Wit at AZ. The midfielder will be sidelined in the coming weeks with a foot injury and was replaced against FC Utrecht by Djordje Mihailovic. Maxim Dekker was preferred in the center of the back to Zinho Vanheusden. At the Domstedelingen, trainer Michael Silberbauer chose Sean Klaiber as right back, at the expense of Hidde ter Avest.
AZ and Utrecht are having a party, they are going to rest with a 3-3 score ????
?? ESPN 2#AZUTR pic.twitter.com/vDMWA1zyT7
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) January 28, 2023
FC Utrecht started the game very strongly in the AFAS Stadium and managed to open the score after a lightning-fast counter, where Taylor Booth was at the base. The midfielder then went into the depth himself and tried to reach Douvikas. Yukinari Sugawara was able to intervene halfway, after which Douvikas had the ball in front of the shot. Tijjani Reijnders then caused the Alkmaarders further problems with sloppy ball loss in midfield. Again it was Booth who was able to advance over the right flank. Both his shot and that of Othmane Boussaid were blocked by goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, but Douvikas then brought the margin to two: 0-2.
The visitors got their teeth into AZ. Nevertheless, Jansen’s team quickly came back into the game. Dekker made it 1-2 against the ropes after a small scrimmage and with half an hour on the clock, Pavlidis benefited from Jens Toornstra’s loss of possession around his own sixteen-meter area. The Greek goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas managed to pass in two instances: 2-2. Pavlidis completely turned the game upside down a few minutes later by finishing with a dry chest after a strong assumption: 2-3. FC Utrecht was a bit off the mark, but still managed to find the dressing rooms with a tie. The ball fell with some fortune at the feet of Nick Viergever who scored the 3-3 at the far post.
The spectators definitely got their money’s worth in the second act as well. Booth once again showed his value for FC Utrecht with a custom cross. Douvikas held off Sugawara to slide the 3-4 against the ropes. However, AZ fought back into the game via Mees de Wit. The left back was outlawed after a delicate through ball from Reijnders and then rounded off with his lesser right leg: 3-4. The visitors then thought they would take the win, after Pavlidis was again slidingly accurate. In the attack, Sander van der Streek still determined the score at 5-5. The midfielder headed the ball over the outbound Ryan.
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Vangelis Pavlidis makes a hat-trick, it is now 5-5! ??
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#?? #AZUTR pic.twitter.com/sMMLEBjrXg— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) January 28, 2023
| No. | Team | m | W | G | v | +/- | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feyenoord | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 41 |
| 2 | AZ | 19 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 40 |
| 3 | PSV | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 38 |
| 4 | FC Twente | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 35 |
| 5 | Ajax | 18 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 27 | 34 |
| 6 | Sparta Rotterdam | 19 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 33 |
| 7 | FC Utrecht | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 30 |
| 8 | SC Heerenveen | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | -1 | 27 |
| 9 | NEC | 19 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 23 |
| 10 | RKC Waalwijk | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | -2 | 22 |
| 11 | Go Ahead Eagles | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | -6 | 19 |
| 12 | Fortuna Sittard | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | -9 | 19 |
| 13 | Excelsior | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | -20 | 19 |
| 14 | Vitesse | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -12 | 19 |
| 15 | FC Emmen | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -19 | 15 |
| 16 | FC Volendam | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | -24 | 13 |
| 17 | SC Cambuur | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | -18 | 12 |
| 18 | Fc Groningen | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | -19 | 12 |