AZ takes next to the lead with a bizarre 5-5 draw against FC Utrecht | Football

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Jan 28, 2023 at 10:53 PMUpdate: 11 minutes ago

AZ played a bizarre draw against FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie on Saturday evening. In a game with ten goals it became no less than 5-5. Because of that draw, AZ grabbed next to the lead.

Halfway through it was already 3-3 in Alkmaar. On behalf of the home team, Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick. His Greek compatriot Anastasios Douvikas did the same for the visitors. Maxim Dekker and Mees de Wit scored the other two goals for AZ. Nick Viergever and Sander van de Streek also scored for FC Utrecht.

AZ was already 0-2 behind after fifteen minutes, but seventeen minutes later the home team already had a 3-2 lead. Viergever equalized the score just before half-time. Douvikas put Utrecht ahead again in the 56th minute (3-4), but goals from De Wit and Pavlidis led AZ to 5-4 ten minutes before the end. Van de Streek determined the final score shortly afterwards.

The last time both teams scored at least five times in an Eredivisie match was on June 16, 1991. The match between RKC and FC Twente in Waalwijk then ended in a 6-6 draw.

AZ had passed leader Feyenoord with a victory, but now remains second with one point less than the team of coach Arne Slot. The leader will visit FC Twente on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, PSV won 2-0 against Go Ahead Eagles. RKC Waalwijk won against FC Emmen (2-0), Vitesse recorded a great victory at sc Heerenveen (1-3) and NEC-Sparta ended in a draw (1-1).

Vangelis Pavlidis celebrates after making a hat trick for AZ. Photo: ANP

AZ-FC Utrecht captivates from the first to the last minute

AZ-FC Utrecht captivated from the first to the last minute. Jansen’s formation experienced a false start against the number seven from the Eredivisie. On a pass from Taylor Booth, Douvikas made it 0-1 in the twelfth minute and four minutes later the attacker doubled the margin with his ninth goal of the season.

In the twentieth minute, AZ was helped in the saddle by poor defending by Mike van der Hoorn with a Yukinari Sugawara cross. The ball got stuck in the penalty area, after which Maxim Dekker made it 1-2 from close by.

Then it was time for AZ top scorer Pavlidis to assert himself. The Greek first encountered FC Utrecht goalkeeper Vasilios Barkos in the 31st minute, but was accurate in the rebound: 2-2.

With a nice goal, Pavlidis – the attacker turned away nicely and hit hard – made it 3-2. With a simple ticker, former AZ defender Viergever determined for the 3-3 halftime score.

Thanks to his hat trick, Anastasios Douvikas is the top scorer of the Eredivisie with ten goals. Photo: Pro Shots

Spectacular enough in the second half

The more than nineteen thousand visitors in the AFAS Stadium had to wait no less than twenty minutes after the break before they saw another goal. Douvakis appeared in front of the Alkmaar goal and completed his hat-trick on a pass from Booth.

AZ’s answer followed five minutes later when De Wit was in the right place to complete a nice cross from Tijjani Reijnders: 4-4. Shortly afterwards, the post prevented Van der Hoorn’s header from going in. Pavlidis was accurate in the 78th minute with his third goal of the evening: 5-4.

This made AZ virtually the front runner, but things still went wrong for the Alkmaarders. Less than three minutes after Pavlidis’ goal, Van de Streek was sent deep, who, despite a collision with AZ goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, was able to give the ball just enough momentum and thus ensured the 5-5 final score.

It was a fitting conclusion to a memorable evening in Alkmaar. AZ will continue the Eredivisie next Saturday with an away match against fellow provincial FC Volendam.

View the position, the results and the program in the Eredivisie

Jan 28, 2023 at 8:40 PM

Sparta again fails to pass Ajax, Emmen back on earth after a PSV stunt

Jan 28, 2023 at 9:52 PM

Heerenveen loses Sarr’s farewell to Vitesse, Pröpper makes a comeback

Image: ANP

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