AZ Alkmaar on the loose

Saturday 27 September 2008

AZ Alkmaar beat Willem II Tilburg tonight and only needed one half to do so: at half-time the score was 1-5.

After AZ had netted five within 39 minutes the home team were able to put some makeup on the score, but that did not change the verdict: 2-5.

AZ Alkmaar had a terrible start of the season, losing their first two games.

But last week's victory over reigning champions PSV Eindhoven may have triggered something positive in the squad.

Midweek they beat Heracles Almelo in the second round of the KNVB Cup and tonight they demolished Willem II in miraculous fashion.

It was amazing to see what damage AZ - when in form - can do.

After 39 minutes anyone looking at the scoreboard must have been amazed to see it indicating 0-5.

AZ played an incredible first half and it must have been awkward for the hosts to see two of their former players - Mounir El Hamdaoui and Moussa Dembélé - lead the hunt.

El Hamdaoui scored three and had one assist while Dembele was a constant menace and scored one.

Demy de Zeeuw had opened the score in the fifth minute.

Frank Demouge scored the goals for the home team in the 41st and the 89th minute.

Louis van Gaal was a happy man afterwards.

"We scored from every chance, each goal even better than the one before," the coach concluded.

That wasn't always the case at AZ, where the forwards had the habit of missing any chance they got over the past few months.

Tonight the counter halted at five.

"You know then you can never repeat that in the second half. I hoped they would stay concentrated, but that only happens in an ideal world," Van Gaal said.

"But in the end I'm of course very happy with this result."