ALKMAAR. Sparta Rotterdam tops AZ 1-0 after T. Lauritsen scored just 1 goal (45β€²). AZ lost this match even if it was better in terms of ball possession (60%).

The match was played at the AFAS Stadion stadium in Alkmaar on Saturday and it started at 8:00 pm local time. The referee was Danny Desmond Makkelie assisted by Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries. The 4th official was Ingmar Oostrom. The weather was cloudy. The temperature was cold at 8.6 degrees Celsius or 47.46 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 71%.​

Match Statistics​

AZ

0 - 1

Sparta Rotterdam

  • ! 61 Ball Possession 39
Shots
  • 16 Total 11
  • 3 On Target 3
  • 10 Off Target 5
  • 3 Shots blocked 3
  • 145 Attack 96
  • 85 Dangerous attack 22
  • 77 Ball safe 81
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 4 Corners 4
Fouls
  • 16 Total 5
  • 2 Yellow Cards 2
  • 0 Double Yellow 0
  • 0 Red Card 0
Other
  • 3 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

AZ had a strong ball possession 60% while Sparta Rotterdam was struggling with a 40% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

AZ was more aggressive with 85 dangerous attacks and 16 shots of which 3 were on target. Anyway, Sparta Rotterdam found a way to find the solution to win this match.​

AZ shot 16 times, 3 on target, 9 off target. Talking about the opposition, Sparta Rotterdam shot 11 times, 3 on target, 5 off target.

Cards

AZ received 2 yellow cards (M. Meerdink and Mayckel Lahdo). On the opposite side, Sparta Rotterdam received 2 yellow cards (Tobias Lauritsen and Dirk Abels).

Match Timeline

22'
Tobias Lauritsen- Yellow
45'
Tobias Lauritsen(goal)
45'
46'
Mayckel Lahdo- sub ->D. Mihailovic
59'
Vangelis Pavlidis- sub ->M. Meerdink
59'
Riechedly Bazoer- sub ->Pantelis Chatzidiakos
69'
70'
R. Meissen- sub ->Shurandy Sambo
70'
83'
84'
84'
Mayckel Lahdo- Yellow
87'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Feyenoord
82
34
PSV
75
34
Ajax
69
34
AZ
67
34
FC Twente
64
34
Sparta Rotterdam
59
34
FC Utrecht
54
34
SC Heerenveen
46
34
RKC Waalwijk
41
34
Vitesse
40
34
Go Ahead Eagles
40
34
NEC
39
34
Fortuna Sittard
36
34
FC Volendam
36
34
Excelsior
32
34
FC Emmen
28
34
SC Cambuur
19
34
FC Groningen
18
34

After playing this encounter, AZ will stay with 54 points to sit in the 4th place. Talking about the opposition, Sparta Rotterdam will have 49 points to remain in the 5th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the Eredivisie, AZ will play away with Ajax on the 6th of May with a 22-13 head to head statistic in favor of Ajax (9 draws).

Sparta Rotterdam will host PSV on the 6th of May with a 18-1 head to head in favor of PSV (4 draws).

AZ – Formation

AZ
G
Mathew Ryan 1.Australia
6.8
D
Pantelis Hatzidiakos 3.Greece
6.7
69'
D
Yukinari Sugawara 2.Japan
6.7
D
Sam Beukema 31.Netherlands
6.5
D
Milos Kerkez 5.Hungary
6.9
M
Jordy Clasie 8.Netherlands
6.8
M
Djordje Mihailovic 14.United States
6.2
59'
M
Tijjani Reijnders 6.Netherlands
7.9
M
Sven Mijnans 16.Netherlands
7.0
M
Jens Odgaard 7.Denmark
6.4
F
Mexx Meerdink 35.Netherlands
7.4
59' 45'
Substitutes
G
Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro 45.Netherlands
G
Hobie Verhulst 12.Netherlands
D
W. Goes 46.Netherlands
D
Mees de Wit 34.Netherlands
D
Zinho Vanheusden 27.Belgium
M
Zico Buurmeester 28.Netherlands
M
Riechedly Bazoer 25.Netherlands
6.4
69'
F
Mayckel Lahdo 23.Sweden
6.9
59' 87'
F
Vangelis Pavlidis 9.Greece
6.5
59'
F
M. van Brederode 19.Netherlands

AZ started with a 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

The manager Pascal Jansen decided to play with the following team: Mathew Ryan (6.8), Yukinari Sugawara (6.7), Sam Beukema (6.5), Pantelis Hatzidiakos (7.1), Miloő Kerkez (6.9), Tijjani Reijnders (7.9), Jordy Clasie (6.8), Jens Odgaard (6.4), Sven Mijnans (7.0), Djordje Mihailović (6.2) and Mexx Meerdink (7.4).

The home team had on the bench: Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro, Zico Buurmeester, Hobie Verhulst, Riechedly Bazoer (6.3), Wouter Goes, Mayckel Lahdo (6.9), Vangelis Pavlidis (6.5), Myron van Brederode, Mees De Wit and Zinho Vanheusden.

AZ could not rely on the presence of Riechedly Bazoer (injured).

Substitutions

AZ made 3 changes: D. Mihailovic for Mayckel Lahdo (59β€²), M. Meerdink for Vangelis Pavlidis (59β€²) and Pantelis Chatzidiakos for Riechedly Bazoer (70β€²).

Best player: Tijjani Reijnders​

As per our analysis, the most impressive player for AZ was Tijjani Reijnders.

His rating is (7.9) with 66 passes (98% accurate) and 2 key passes. He was won 9 duels out of 13. He performed 1 cross.

Sparta Rotterdam – Formation

Sparta Rotterdam
G
Nick Olij 1.Netherlands
7.4
D
Bart Vriends 3.Netherlands
6.8
46'
D
Mica Pinto 5.Portugal
6.9
84'
D
S. Sambo 2.Netherlands
6.5
70'
D
Mike Eerdhuijzen 4.Netherlands
7.7
M
Younes Namli 8.Denmark
6.8
70'
M
Arno Verschueren 10.Belgium
6.6
M
Joshua Kitolano 6.Norway
6.1
F
K. Saito 11.Japan
7.8
F
V. van Crooij 7.Netherlands
6.6
F
Tobias Lauritsen 9.Norway
7.6
22' 45'
Substitutes
G
Delano van Crooy 20.Netherlands
G
Tim Coremans 30.Netherlands
D
Aaron Meijers 15.Netherlands
6.8
84'
D
R. Meissen 13.Netherlands
6.6
70'
D
Jeremy van Mullem 16.Netherlands
6.4
70'
D
Dirk Abels 12.Netherlands
6.8
46' 83'
M
P. Serra 18.Spain
M
Patrick Brouwer 21.Netherlands
M
Adil Auassar 14.Netherlands
6.9
84'
F
Elias Hoff Melkersen 19.Norway
F
Mohammed Tahiri 17.Morocco

Sparta Rotterdam started with a aggressive line-up (4-3-3).

Maurice Steijn played with: Nick Olij (7.4), Shurandy Sambo (6.5), Bart Vriends (6.8), Mike Eerdhuijzen (7.7), Mica Pinto (6.9), Arno Verschueren (6.6), Joshua Kitolano (6.1), Younes Namli (6.8), Vito van Crooij (6.6), Tobias Lauritsen (7.6) and Koki Saito (7.8).

These were the players on the bench: Delano van Crooij, Elias Hoff Melkersen, Aaron Meijers (6.8), Rick Meissen (6.6), Pedro Serra, Mohammed Tahiri, Patrick Brouwer, Jeremy Van Mullem (6.4), Tim Coremans, Dirk Abels (6.8) and Adil Auassar (6.9).

Sparta Rotterdam could not rely on the presence of Rick Meissen (injured), Adil Auassar (injured) and Aaron Meijers (injured).

Substitutions

Sparta Rotterdam made 5 changes: Bart Vriends for Dirk Abels (46β€²), Shurandy Sambo for Rick Meissen (70β€²), Younes NamliΒ  for Jeremy van Mullem (70β€²), Rick Meissen for Adil Auassar (84β€²) and Mica PintoΒ  for Aaron Meijers (84β€²).

Best player: Koki Saito​

The player that probably impressed the most for Sparta Rotterdam was Koki Saito even if he didn’t score the decisive goal.

His rating is (7.8) with 20 passes (100% accurate) and 2 key passes. He was won 8 duels out of 11. He performed 1 cross.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Eredivisie.​