Whirlwind AZ finished with Emmen before halftime and is tentatively third in premier league
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Watch the summary of AZ – FC Emmen
AZ delivered a gala performance at home against FC Emmen before halftime with five goals. After halftime, the Alkmaarders took back the pace and Dani de Wit and Jesper Karlsson returned from injury. It ended up being 5-1 in Alkmaar.
It was one-way traffic from the start. AZ set up one attack after another and the opening goal fell in the thirteenth minute. Jordy Clasie found Sven Mijnans and the ex-Spartan shot in through goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart.
Leap of joy
The build-up to the second goal was beautiful. Via Clasie, Jens Odgaard and Vangelis Pavlidis, the ball reached Myron van Brederode and the left winger placed the ball neatly into the corner. AZ coach Pascal Jansen jumped for joy at the sight of this team goal.
A free kick by Tijjani Reijnders made it 3-0, although Sam Beukema claimed he had still touched the incoming ball. Five minutes later, Beukema got his goal after all. The defender signed for his first goal of the season on a pass from Van Brederode.
The four goals in 28 minutes marked the second-fastest 4-0 lead in club history, following the quick 4-0 on Oct. 3, 2008, against Sparta Rotterdam in the 2008/2009 championship season. Then, too, the 4-0 fell in the 28th minute. Freshman national champion Arne Slot captained Sparta that day, which was eventually beaten 6-0.
No more goals after halftime
On the stroke of halftime, Clasie also made it 5-0 with a low shot into the corner. With that, AZ equaled its record margin at halftime in the premier league, after a 5-0 halftime score at home against Excelsior on Feb. 3 earlier this season. That game also remained 5-0.
Again, production stalled after halftime. AZ slowed down four days before the return game against West Ham United and Emmen came up with three substitutes. Richairo Zivkovic shot the second goal after a pass from substitute Lucas Bernadou, and through Mark Diemers and Ole Romeny Emmen was close to a second goal.
The substitutions of De Wit and Karlsson were the Alkmaar highlights of the second half. De Wit was missing for four months due to a foot injury and Karlsson did not participate for the past month due to an injury to his upper leg. Karlsson shot at the post in the closing stages.
