AZ Alkmaar vs Tottenham Report

Scorers: Bergvall (OG) 18’

AZ Alkmaar continued their impressive home form in the UEFA Europa League (UEL), securing a crucial 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

This result extends their unbeaten UEL home run to 13 matches, giving them a valuable advantage ahead of the return leg in London.

Tottenham Face Uphill Battle in Pursuit of Silverware

With the UEL representing Tottenham’s final opportunity to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy, Ange Postecoglou’s side arrived at the AFAS Stadion under pressure.

They had previously beaten Alkmaar 1-0 in the league phase but faced a much tougher challenge this time around.

The first half was far from a classic, but the Dutch hosts had more reason to be satisfied heading into the break.

Despite an early injury setback that saw Mayckel Lahdo forced off and replaced by Denso Kasius within the first 10 minutes, Alkmaar remained positive in their approach.

Troy Parrott Involved in Fortunate Opener for Alkmaar

The only goal of the first half came in somewhat fortuitous fashion for the hosts. A corner delivery found former Tottenham academy player Troy Parrott at the back post.

His shot lacked power and direction, but Lucas Bergvall inadvertently sliced the ball over Djed Spence and into his own net, handing Alkmaar the lead.

Ernest Poku, one of Alkmaar’s liveliest attackers in the opening exchanges, later dragged an effort wide, while Guglielmo Vicario came up big for Spurs, making crucial saves to deny Parrott in a one-on-one situation and then keeping out Kasius’ close-range attempt during a chaotic moment in the penalty area.

Meanwhile, Tottenham struggled to create meaningful opportunities, with Bergvall heading wide and Brennan Johnson firing over in what was a lacklustre first-half display.

Tottenham Fail to Test Alkmaar Despite Late Possession

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Tottenham attempting to exert more control but failing to seriously threaten the Alkmaar goal. The visitors registered the first two attempts after the restart, but neither effort troubled goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.

Alkmaar then resumed their attacking threat, and they nearly doubled their lead when Poku fired a low shot towards goal, only for Vicario to produce another fine save.

As the match wore on, Alkmaar adopted a more cautious approach, looking to protect their slender advantage rather than push for a second goal.

Tottenham, however, failed to capitalise on this, with their lack of attacking urgency proving costly. Postecoglou’s men did not manage a single shot on target until late in the match, highlighting their struggles in front of goal.

Second-Leg Challenge Awaits Tottenham

Despite their subpar performance, Spurs still have an opportunity to turn the tie around in the return leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, they will need to deliver a significantly improved display if they are to overturn Alkmaar’s advantage and keep their European hopes alive.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
AZ Alkmaar vs Tottenham | UEFA Europa League 2024/25