Anderlecht’s elimination in the quarterfinals of the Conference League hurts in Belgium. Purple-White experienced a disastrous evening against AZ on Thursday, which managed to brush away a 2-0 defeat from the first game within fifteen minutes. The Alkmaarders then forgot to push Anderlecht under, but they still won in a decisive penalty shootout.
Anderlecht failed to reach a European semi-final for the first time since 1990. Jürgen Geril is as a journalist from The newspapaer not to mention the bad start of Anderlecht during the return match. “You were anything but alert. I always go to watch my son at the Under 9 of VK Liedekerke on Saturday morning. Those guys are sometimes still in dreamland at the kick-off and are sometimes swept off the mat. Well, that’s how it was in Alkmaar too.”
“Well thanks, Anderlecht. I am defending the team in this newspaper against the arrogant Dutch analysts who belittled you after the 2-0 win in Brussels”, Geril continues. “I almost didn’t dare enter the AFAS Stadium and after 12 minutes and 50 seconds, I had to agree with them. What the hell was that? Admittedly, the Dutch analysts were right.” La Derniere Heure talks about a ‘nightmare evening’ for Anderlecht, while Sporza sees that the penalty luck has run out. Earlier in the Conference League campaign, Ludogorets was put aside by Anderlecht after a penalty series.
Dutch morning papers
In the Dutch morning papers there is nothing but praise for AZ. “The night of Matty and Paffie”, headlines The Telegraph. “AZ coach Pascal Jansen can sometimes talk so endearingly about his players. He gives them nicknames. Well, two of his cherished disciples, goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and striker Vangelis Pavlidis, grabbed the spotlight against Anderlecht. The Greek striker scored twice in the first fifteen minutes, while Ryan stopped two penalties in the penalty shootout.
It General Journal saw AZ provide ‘a beautiful and perhaps no longer expected’ turnaround during the diptych with Anderlecht. As a result, AZ is back in a semi-final of a European tournament for the first time since 2005. In the semi-finals of the Conference League, the Alkmaarders await a double meeting with West Ham United, the current number fifteen in the Premier League.