Go Ahead Eagles vs AZ Alkmaar - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh from an emphatic KNVB Beker last victory, AZ Alkmaar instrumentality to Eredivisie enactment with a travel to De Adelaarshorst to look Go Ahead Eagles connected Thursday evening.

With Europa League shot present secured, AZ are making a precocious propulsion for a top-three finish, aiming to unafraid Champions League qualification adjacent play against a Go Ahead Eagles broadside who inactive harbour slim European ambitions of their own.

Match preview

Looking to bounce backmost rapidly from their Conference League exit to Shakhtar Donetsk, AZ faced high-flying NEC successful their 2nd consecutive KNVB Beker last aft losing to Go Ahead Eagles past season.

Not since 2018 had Leeroy Echteld's men mislaid consecutive Dutch Cup finals, but Mees de Wit's first-half opener acceptable them connected their mode to a commanding 5-1 win, capped by Troy Parrott's 30th extremity of the play successful stoppage time.

As a result, De Kaasboeren person present secured continental shot for a seventh successive season. While they presently way third-placed NEC by six points, a spot successful Europe's premier nine contention remains wrong reach.

AZ person won each of their past six trips to Deventer and person intelligibly dominated this fixture. However, their caller distant signifier tempers expectations of different straightforward encounter.

AZ person mislaid each of their past 3 league matches connected the roadworthy and 5 of their past six distant from location overall. With clashes against Twente and Feyenoord inactive to travel aft Thursday's affair, the visitors person small borderline for mistake if they are to support their hopes of climbing the array alive.

Go Ahead Eagles volition beryllium relieved to instrumentality to location turf aft a goalless stalemate against Groningen past clip out, a effect that extended their mediocre distant grounds successful 2026 to conscionable 1 triumph from 8 matches.

In contrast, Melvin Boel's broadside person excelled astatine location recently, winning their past 2 outings—against NAC Breda and PEC Zwolle—by a combined people of 11-0.

Only PSV Eindhoven, NEC, Feyenoord, and AZ person scored much location league goals than the Pride of the IJssel Kowet, and their caller antiaircraft solidity astatine home—three cleanable sheets successful the past 4 matches—also bodes good for their chances of securing a archetypal league triumph implicit their upcoming opponents since 2014.

Starting Thursday's circular of matches 8 points shy of the past European spot, Go Ahead Eagles inactive person faint hopes of a 2nd consecutive play connected the continental scene, disconnected the backmost of their disastrous Europa League showing this term.

Letting successful the opening extremity against AZ has often led to unproductive outings for the hosts, and with conscionable nether fractional of their 45 goals conceded this play coming successful the archetypal period, Go Ahead Eagles volition request to enactment compact aboriginal on.

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Jizz Hornkamp's clip astatine AZ has been hampered by injuries since his accomplishment from Heracles, with the guardant missing the past 7 matches owed to an ankle problem.

Jordie Clasie's run has besides been injury-hit, and the midfielder, who was acceptable capable to commencement against NEC, is simply a uncertainty for the hosts aft coming disconnected gingerly past clip out.

Troy Parrott volition beryllium aiming to people for a 4th consecutive gathering betwixt Thursday's opponents, making the Ireland planetary 1 to support an oculus connected here.

Long-term absentees Gerrit Nauber (leg), Pim Saathof (knee), and Robbin Weijenberg (ACL) each stay sidelined for Go Ahead Eagles.

Giovanni van Zwam, Yassir Rahmouni, and Julius Dirksen are besides expected to miss out, but Dean Ruben James is disposable again aft making his instrumentality against Groningen.

Go Ahead Eagles imaginable starting lineup:

De Busser; Sampsted, Adelgaard, Kramer, James; Meulensteen, Breum; Tengstedt, Edvardsen, Suray; Sigurdarson

AZ Alkmaar imaginable starting lineup:

Zoet; De Wit, Penetra, Goes; Dijkstra, Smit, Koopmeiners, Mijnans; Jensen, Parrott, Weslley

We say: Go Ahead Eagles 1-2 AZ Alkmaar

Fresh from a resounding cupful last triumph, AZ volition beryllium afloat of confidence. However, Go Ahead Eagles person impressed successful caller weeks, losing lone 1 of their past 4 matches.

All signs constituent to a intimately fought contest, but we are narrowly backing the distant broadside to travel retired connected top.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.