AZ was eliminated on Thursday evening in the eighth final of the Conference League. At home, the Alkmaarders played a 2-2 draw against FK Bodö/Glimt after extra time, who were 1-0 too strong in the first game in Norway. After ninety minutes of football, the scoreboard still showed a 2-1 score in favor of coach Pascal Jansen’s team, which meant that extra time had to be the outcome. The Norwegians finally passed the verdict in the 106th minute of play. The Alkmaar goal production was completely taken care of by Vangelis Pavlidis.
Jansen changed his team in two positions compared to the first game in Norway. In the center back, Pantelis Hatzidiakos had to make way for Sam Beukema. At the same time, Jordy Clasie was preferred to Hakon Evjen on the left in midfield. Opposite the Alkmaarders was an unchanged Bodö/Glimt. From the first whistle, AZ went in search of the 1-0, which was found after eighteen minutes of football.
† Vangelis Pavlidis is the big man at @AZAlkmaar up to now!
† ESPN
† #azbod pic.twitter.com/vPmxtTFb7n— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 17, 2022
Bruno Martins Indi played an important role in the opening goal, who put the leather down behind the last line from his own half. Pavlidis was earlier at the ball than goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, who had come a long way, who was passed around in a technically beautiful way by the Greek striker. Although Pavlidis was relatively far from the outside of the box, he curled the ball into the far corner: 1-0. When the equalizer in the 26th minute went wrong for Martins Indi.
After a pass from midfield, he didn’t realize that Runar Espejord was walking out of his back. The latter was able to lob the ball over goalkeeper Peter Vindahl Jensen, but Martins Indi seemed to make a save on the goal line. However, the center defender made an even harder mistake by preparing the ball a few meters away for Amahl Pellegrino, who finished from close range: 1-1. After exactly half an hour of play, Pavlidis compensated for his teammate’s mistake. On the right side of the field, Jesper Karlsson went into the depths, after which he passed the ball to the overrun Aslak Witry. From the pass that followed, Pavlidis was able to tap in from close range: 2-1.
The intensity decreased considerably in the second company. Both AZ and Bodö/Glimt failed to force a serious breakthrough, especially in the opening phase. As the second half progressed, AZ’s pressure on the enemy goal increased. The Alkmaar pressing resulted in a great chance for Karlsson in the seventieth minute. The winger was played at the corner of the box and sent the ball towards the right intersection with great feeling, but the bar was in the way of an Alkmaar goal.
There was no change in the scoreboard in regulation time, which meant that extra time was required. AZ was indeed the dominant party and put a lot of pressure on Haikin’s goal, but disaster struck for the Alkmaarders in the 106th minute. From the right side of the field, Hugo Vetlesen delivered a spinning cross to Alfons Sampsted, who extended the ball and gave it enough momentum to outsmart Vindahl Jensen in the far corner. The home team was emphatically looking for a new lead, but a penalty shootout could no longer be dragged out of the fire. Martins Indi was able to nod in front of an open goal in the final minute; however, the defender failed again and headed wide.