Disappointing goalless draw vs Jagiellonia leaves AZ in Conference League playoff round
AZ Alkmaar drew 0-0 on Thursday against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in a very disappointing display. The Alkmaarders played half an hour against 10 men with the knowledge that a win would have put them in the top eight of the UEFA Conference League.
AZ knew that anything was possible prior to the game. Maarten Martens’ side could have finished in the top eight, which would have given the team a bye past the playoff round, with a win, and if one team above them drops points. A defeat and the Alkmaar side could drop below 24th place, which is complete elimination.
Jagiollonia was dealt a blow within the first few minutes of the game. The team’s center back, Dušan Stojinović, was taken off with what looked like a hamstring injury.
The first half was the story of Sven Mijnans’ movement, and finishing in the box. The midfielder got his team’s first shot on target in the fourth minute, but the effort was straight at goalkeeper Sławomir Abramowicz.
His second chance of the half came in the 16th minute. A cross from Wesley Patati was left by the Jagiellonia defence, and this led to Mijnans having a difficult chance to score; the midfielder saw his instinctive effort go wide.
Mijnans’ biggest chance came nearer the end of the half. A cross was nodded down by Troy Parrot to the midfielder just outside of the six-yard box; his effort looked like it was going straight at Abramowicz, but it was cleared acrobatically by Taras Romanczuk.
The supporters in the AFAS Stadium breathed a sigh of relief in the final seconds before halftime when referee Stefan Ebner was called to the screen for a possible handball on Alexandre Penetra. However, in a rare move, the Austrian referee decided against awarding the penalty after seeing the incident on the screen, giving the foul to AZ for a handball on a Jagiellonia player before the incident involving Penetra.
Jagiollonia’s chances of a win dissipated significantly in the 63rd minute when their striker, Afimico Pululu, was sent off for a rash and late challenge on Wouter Goes after the ball had already gone.
This led to a half hour in which the Polish side sat back, and AZ attacked in order to get a winner. The only significant chance that Martens’ side was able to rente came in the 79th minute. A cross found Goes unmarked at the far post. His control wasn’t ideal, which led to him laying it off to Mees de Wit. He beat one defender before his shot was blocked.
There were loud whistles from the crowd in the AFAS Stadium at the end of the game. Due to the draw, AZ finished 14th, just one point behind the top eight. Jagiellonia finished 17th, meaning both sides will be playing in the playoff round in February.
