AZ Alkmaar face a tough task as they welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to AFAS Stadion for the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final tie. The Dutch side trail 3-0 from the first leg, needing a significant turnaround to keep their hopes alive.
Shakhtar’s Commanding Lead
Shakhtar Donetsk secured a 3-0 victory in Krakow last week. The goals came from Pedrinho and Alisson Santana. Shakhtar have progressed from all eight previous European ties in which they secured a three-goal first-leg lead.
Confidence should be high within the visitors’ camp. Their strong away record in this competition further strengthens their position, having won their last five matches on their travels in the Conference League and remaining unbeaten across all eight trips in the competition.
Alkmaar’s Hopeful Home Form
AZ Alkmaar lost both previous European ties in which they trailed by such a deficit after the first leg. However, their home record offers a degree of encouragement. The Dutch hosts have only won five of their last 13 continental victories on their own turf by margins of at least three goals.
Lee Roy Echteld’s side recorded a 3-0 win over Heerenveen at the weekend. That result lifted them to sixth in the Eredivisie table. A repeat of that scoreline would at least force extra time.
That victory marked the club’s seventh successive home success at the AFAS. Each of the last three have seen AZ take a two-goal lead into the interval, highlighting the importance of a fast start.
Defensive Solidity a Must
A resolute defensive display will also be required if the Alkmaar side are to stand any chance of progression. Each of their last six matches has featured only one team scoring. All four of AZ’s wins in that run came alongside clean sheets, three of which were achieved by margins of three goals or more.
Shakhtar were held to a 2-2 draw at LNZ Cherkasy in Monday’s top-of-the-table clash, despite taking the lead on two occasions through an Artur Ryabov own goal and an Eguinaldo strike. That result leaves Shakhtar second in the Ukrainian top-flight table, trailing Cherkasy on head-to-head, while extending the Miners’ unbeaten run to three matches.
On the verge of reaching a first European semi-final since their 2019-20 Europa League defeat to Inter Milan, Shakhtar hold a commanding advantage.