AZ Alkmaar 0 West Ham 1 (agg 1-3)
By Sam Dean at AFAS Stadion
The West Ham United substitutes were on the pitch, leaping in delight. The coaching staff were with them, too, jumping and screaming towards the Dutch sky. Then there was David Moyes, a smile on his face and his fists raised above his head, celebrating a great European night in this club’s history and a result that could prove to be one of their most important in the modern era.
In the end they did not need the winning goal, scored by Pablo Fornals deep into stoppage time, but they wanted it and they absolutely deserved it against an AZ Alkmaar side who could have played for three hours without cracking open the West Ham defence.
When the final whistle sounded, then, the West Ham players and supporters should have continued to celebrate their passage through this semi-final and their place in a first European final in almost five decades. Instead, it turned ugly, as the fans clashed in the stands and some West Ham players felt compelled to join the fray.
A group of away supporters behind the goal appeared to be turned on by the Alkmaar fans, and it took a few panicked minutes before the trouble was sorted. There might yet be repercussions but, for now, this was Moyes and West Ham’s night. Ultimately, that is how it will be remembered.
At this stage of last year’s Europa League, West Ham lost composure on their way to losing the tie. Eintracht Frankfurt were clever opponents but Moyes and his players fell into their traps too easily, with Aaron Cresswell sent off in the first half and his manager then following him later on, after he had furiously booted the ball at a ball boy.
With a first-leg lead to protect this time, West Ham took a different approach. “We don’t need to be daft,” Moyes said before the game, and the strategy was clear from within a few minutes of action: maintain the structure, close down the spaces, allow Alkmaar to have the ball at the back.
The Dutch side are capable of producing pretty passing patterns but that did not particularly bother West Ham, who were happy to wait for their chances to snatch the ball back and then counter at pace. The first two chances arrived in that manner, with Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta both going close from the edge of the box.
One of the early challenges for West Ham was the atmosphere in Alkmaar, where the stadium was packed and flares greeted the players before kick-off. AZ came into this game on a run of 25 home games unbeaten in European competition, and a quirk of the fixture was that Moyes, when in charge of Everton in 2007, had become the first manager to win a European game here in the Dutch club’s history (ending a run of 32 games without defeat).
The home supporters were up for it, then, but West Ham’s patience and physicality soon sapped much of the zest from the occasion. By the end of the first half, it was hard to see how AZ might find a way through as, beyond a few moments of pressure, West Ham seemed comfortable. Not least when Nayef Aguerd, their centre-back, dribbled out of defence and beyond three red shirts.
In these moments there appeared to be a resilience to West Ham, best characterised by the determined fist-pumps delivered to the away fans by Declan Rice before kick-off. Those travelling supporters – with former striker Andy Carroll among them – have enjoyed their European trips in recent seasons and the thought of a final in Prague next month will have been very appealing indeed.
Alkmaar’s fans, of course, were dreaming of the same destination and while their team were so short of ideas in the first half, there was more belief and energy to them after the break. Sven Mijnans and Pantelis Hatzidiakos tested Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal, before Thilo Kehrer almost prodded the ball in his own net.
But even though the pressure built, it never seemed likely that West Ham would crumble. Their defence held firm, with Aguerd and Kurt Zouma staying strong, and their running never slowed. This was a game plan well executed and, in the end, a job well done, especially when Fornals ran away from the Alkmaar defence in the final seconds, picked his spot and delivered the crowning moment.
Match details
AZ Alkmaar (4-2-3-1): Ryan 5; Sugawara 5, Beukema 6, Hatzidiakos 6, Kerkez 6 (M de Wit 85); Reijnders 6, Clasie 6; Van Brederode 5 (Lahdo 78), Mijnans 6 (D de Wit 70), Karlsson 5 (Meerdink 85); Pavlidis 5.
Subs: Verhulst (g), Deen (g), Mihailovic, Bazoer, Vanheusden, Buurmeester, Goes.
West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Areola 7; Kehrer 7, Zouma 7, Aguerd 8, Cresswell 7; Soucek 6, Rice 7; Bowen 6, Paqueta 7 (Downes 90+5), Benrahma 5 (Fornals 74); Antonio 6 (Ings 85).
Subs: Fabianski (g), Anang (g), Johnson, Coufal, Lanzini, Cornet, Ogbonna, Palmieri, Mubama.
Booked: Soucek, Kehrer.
Referee: Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia).
West Ham through to first major European final for 47 years – latest reaction below
10:51 PM
West Ham will play Fiorentina in the final
They have beaten Basel 4-3 on aggregate after extra time in Switzerland.
The match will take place in Prague on 7 June.
10:39 PM
Joe Cole on the fan trouble earlier, speaking on BT Sport
It’s absurd. Grown men attacking the West Ham fans. Players were trying to get involved to break it up. AZ Alkmaar fans throwing punches is ridiculous. There were families. Football is for everyone. It’s ridiculous in the modern game. Pathetic.
10:33 PM
David Moyes speaks with BT Sport at full time
We’re absolutely thrilled. It’s a big achievement for the club, but now it’s about going and winning it. AZ are very good at what they do, but I’m delighted we did it.
Going forward the idea is to be better. We’ve brought in a lot of international players to get better, but we’ve really struggled this season. We had to go back to what gets you wins, and thankfully we did that.
10:31 PM
Another angle on the attack by AZ Alkmaar fans
10:29 PM
West Ham’s opponents?
Basel vs Fiorentina has gone into extra time, so West Ham still don’t know who they will be playing in the final in Prague on 7 June.
10:18 PM
Dramatic video of the moment West Ham players go to defend fans in the stands
10:13 PM
Telegraph Sport’s Sam Dean is at the AFAS Stadion tonight
10:07 PM
Report from the stands
10:06 PM
The trouble in the stands
West Ham players were going over to the area in the stands to protect their families.
10:05 PM
The scenes in the stands at full time
09:56 PM
Full time: AZ 0 West Ham 1 (agg 1-3)
West Ham have won it on the night and they are going to play in the European Conference League final. Pablo Fornals with the goal, right at the end of the game.
The BT Sport commentary reports that it’s kicking-off in the stands between the sets of rival fans.
“Not pleasant scenes, at all,” says Robbie Savage in the commentary.
09:52 PM
GOAL! AZ 0 West Ham 1 (Fornals, 90+4) (agg 1-3)
Fornals!!!
Absolutely sensational from West Ham. On the counter attack. Fornals with the goal which takes West Ham to the final.
He wins the ball a few yards into the AZ half, knocks it through the legs of an opponent, moving central and picking the bottom-left corner past Ryan.
09:50 PM
90+3 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Proper game management stage from West Ham now. Paqueta, for the second time in added time, has looked for the corner flag.
09:47 PM
90 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Five minutes of added time to come.
09:46 PM
87 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
A high ball is tossed in to the West Ham box, Areola jumps up to claim the ball, Zouma ahead of him. Areola clashes with his man and the ball hits Zouma on the hand on the way down.
It’s certainly not deliberate by any stretch of the imagination, but Var will take a look.
Rightly, not given.
09:44 PM
West Ham sub
Antonio makes way for Ings.
09:41 PM
83 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Aguerd! What an opportunity there.
Antonio did ever so well, a little one-two with Soucek in the box. The ball falls to Aguerd, in space on the right side of the box, eight yards out, but he doesn’t hit it cleanly and it goes wide!
09:38 PM
80 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Time is starting to get tight out there for AZ now. Kerkez down the left still looks the most profitable route.
West Ham have provided terrific defensive coverage tonight: if one AZ player gets past a West Ham defender, there’s always been another player there for coverage.
09:35 PM
76 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Bowen is right on Clasie, not giving him any space at all, forcing him to take his shot under pressure and miss the target.
09:33 PM
West Ham support
09:32 PM
West Ham sub
Benrahma off, Fornals on.
09:31 PM
72 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Rice drops a ball over the top, with some backspin, hoping to seek out Antonio. But Ryan has read that well and is first to it.
09:27 PM
AZ sub
Dani de Wit comes on for Sven Mijnans.
09:24 PM
65 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Hatzidiakos, the centre-back, has an effort from outside the box. It’s not bad at all, but Areola is down to gather after spilling the initial shot.
Karlsson then with a shot, but that one’s way off.
09:21 PM
63 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
West Ham into game management mode now. Kehrer’s been given a yellow for time-wasting, taking a while on his throw in an attacking location.
09:20 PM
62 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
AZ on the break… Pavlidis cuts past Zouma and forces a save from Areola.
But Pavlidis was a yard offside in the buildup. West Ham free kick.
09:18 PM
60 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Down goes Bowen in a heap following a challenge from Kerkez on the right. West Ham free kick now, 25 yards out, wide right. It’s not a good free kick from Kehrer – it doesn’t beat the first defender.
09:16 PM
57 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Aguerd challenges Pavlidis in the West Ham box, the ball in behind the two centre-backs, Pavlidis would’ve been one-on-one with Areola. Does Aguerd get to the ball first? The ref thinks there isn’t enough it.
09:13 PM
55 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Bowen with the corner, a punch away by Ryan which is then hooked away, unconvincingly, by an AZ defender. West Ham throw.
09:12 PM
53 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Two straight passes dissects the whole West Ham side. Fortunately for the visitors the second is a tad long for Pavlidis and Areola rushes out to pounce on the ball.
09:11 PM
52 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Kehrer tries a long throw into the box. Set pieces were the issue for AZ last week. This one bounces all the way to Ryan, who gathers.
09:09 PM
51 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Antonio does very well initially to hold up the ball, barreling into the defenders ahead of him before offloading to Paqueta who tries to play Benrahma down the left, but it’s overhit.
09:08 PM
49 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
A bit more urgency from AZ here right at the start of the second half. Mijnans gets the break of the ball in the box, but Aguerd is there to stop the cross. AZ corner.
09:07 PM
48 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Kerkez looks a danger down that left flank. Can AZ capitalise off his threat?
Mijnans takes a scuffed shot, he didn’t quite catch it right and it looks like Areola sees it late for he pounces on it dramatically.
09:05 PM
47 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Kerkez flings a ball right across the face of goal from the left, a change of pace in attack…
It’s a heart-stopping moment for West Ham, but no-one can get there to nick it in. All it needed was a touch.
09:04 PM
46 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Mijnans with a beautiful switched ball for Karlsson on the left flank. He cuts the ball inside, getting Sugawara in on the action. It’s back out to Kerkez on the left and he tries to get a cross in, but it’s easily cut out by West Ham.
09:02 PM
Second half begins
AZ get us back under way.
No changes that we can see at half time.
08:59 PM
Lucas Paqueta has impressed on the counter attack for West Ham tonight
08:48 PM
Half-time: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
David Moyes goes in, he must be pretty pleased with the way West Ham have performed so far tonight.
They’ve frustrated AZ, containing them to corners, long-range efforts and balls over the top. West Ham have looked strong on the break, Paqueta hitting the post in their most promising attack.
It’s still on a bit of a knife-edge, but West Ham still have their precious advantage from last week. They’re on course for that final in Prague.
08:45 PM
43 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Here comes another break – this man Paqueta is always at the centre of it – he links up with Benrahma down the left, who gets to the byline and just can’t quite find a team-mate to pull it back to. Strong counter-attacking football from the visitors.
08:42 PM
40 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
The threat is starting to grow for AZ though. Sugawara has a shot following some invention in and around the West Ham box, deflected out by Aguerd. Corner. It’s a better one, but it’s well grabbed by Areola, West Ham’s cup keeper.
08:40 PM
38 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
West Ham have been very good so far: disciplined defensively, they’ve kept a good shape and looked strong on the counter-attack, hitting the post through Paqueta on 25 minutes.
08:39 PM
36 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Mijnans tries to in-swing another corner from the right, but it’s not a very good one and is headed away from the West Ham box. Not much to cheer about out there for the AZ fans. It’s all gone rather quiet.
08:34 PM
33 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Much better shape, much better distances defensively from West Ham tonight. It’s currently difficult to see AZ getting through this West Ham rearguard.
08:33 PM
31 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Clasie from long-range, but it’s another no-nonsense block from Zouma. No real way through for AZ at present.
08:30 PM
29 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
AZ are getting a little bit frustrated by the looks of it. They’re resorting to playing long balls to Pavlidis. Moyes’ tactics are working so far.
08:29 PM
28 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Rice on the left, good ball in to Benrahma in the middle. He tees himself up, in a lot of space, and goes for power. Too much power in fact and it’s over the crossbar. He had a bit more time there.
08:28 PM
26 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Bowen is dispossessed by Kerkez who is able to get a cross away down the left… but West Ham have shut off the space well and filled in the gap to clear.
08:27 PM
25 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Paqueta leads an attack following Antonio’s great show of strength to win the ball way down field. Paqueta cuts inside on the edge of the box, gets the ball onto his left foot and curls in a shot which rattles the far post.
West Ham are carrying the threat even though AZ have had the lion’s share of possession.
08:25 PM
23 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Bowen, robbed, Kerkez tries to break, but Bowen bundles into him. Foul. AZ free kick on the edge of their own final third.
08:23 PM
21 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
AZ look patient out there. Sugawara’s just put a cross in from the right, but it’s overcooked. It takes a deflection of a West Ham player and for some reason Bowen lets it go out for an AZ throw.
Van Brederode puts in a fizzing cross now, but Pavlidis can’t quite get there. West Ham break. Paqueta leads the charge, but he can’t find Antonio. West Ham look dangerous on the counter.
08:19 PM
18 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Kerkez finds room to cross on the left, but nobody is taking a gamble on the near post and Areola comfortably gathers.
08:18 PM
16 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Kehrer’s cross from the right, it’s played just ahead of Antonio in the box.
Not the best defending, it’s a low header away only as far as Bowen on the edge of the box who lashes at it, sending it wide.
08:16 PM
14 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
A miss-cued clearance from Benrahma on the edge of his own box sees the ball pounded high into the sky with Areola needing to jump and gather.
08:15 PM
13 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
That’s three times now that Soucek has made a run into the box, but the delivery has been poor.
08:14 PM
12 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Benrahma earns a throw on the left, battling his man. Antonio throw to come. It’s short, to Cresswell who tries to fire one in.
08:12 PM
10 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Another corner for AZ now. They’ve had a good start, but haven’t really threatened the West Ham goal.
08:11 PM
9 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
West Ham are showing signs of settling here. Kehrer’s put a cross in early from the right, but it’s cut out, only to be recycled back to West Ham to build again.
08:10 PM
8 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Soucek heads the ball on into the box, looking for a man ahead of him. Bowen closes Hatzidiakos down, but the AZ centre-back protects the ball and shepherds it away.
08:08 PM
7 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Dangerous looking ball in from Benrahma from the left-flank, but Ryan comes out commandingly to gather.
08:07 PM
6 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
A similar start to the game in London: AZ having all the ball with West Ham looking to counter-attack.
08:06 PM
4 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Benrahma surges down the left flank and tries to cut inside in the box, linking up with Paqueta, but is shoulder-barged out the way for AZ to recover.
08:04 PM
2 mins: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Karlsson is in behind, played in by a long ball from the back, into the box. It’s a great delivery, he just stretched for it and Areola gathers.
But the flag went up anyway.
08:03 PM
1 min: AZ 0 West Ham 0 (agg 1-2)
Karlsson straight away wins a corner, taking a shot from the right-edge of the D. It takes a deflection and AZ win an early corner with smoke billowing around the ground.
08:01 PM
Kick off!
West Ham, in an all-black strip, get us under way.
Ivan Kruzliak from Slovakia is the referee tonight.
07:58 PM
A reminder of the line-ups tonight
AZ: Ryan, Sugawara, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, Kerkez, Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie, van Brederode, Pavlidis, Karlsson.
Subs: Dani de Wit, Verhulst, Mihailovic, Lahdo, Bazoer, Vanheusden, Buurmeester, Mees de Wit, Meerdink, Goes, Deen.
West Ham: Areola, Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Lucas Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Coufal, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Emerson Palmieri, Anang, Mubama.
07:57 PM
The teams are gathering in the tunnel
The winner will play Basel or Fiorentina in the final.
07:49 PM
AZ boss Pascal Jansen speaks with BT Sport
We’re confident. But it’s a big step to take tonight.
Each and every player’s important for this squad.
[In the first leg] we maintained a good 60 minutes, but we had two moments when we were off: two set pieces.
We were down 2-0 when we came back from Brussels [Anderlecht in the quarter-final], and that will be the goal again tonight.
07:39 PM
West Ham warm up
07:37 PM
Carlton Cole on Michail Antonio
He’s been top. He’s one of those players. In seven games he’s got six goals. That can’t go unnoticed. He’s been prolific in the Europa Conference League. He is one of those players who can just shrug of defenders.
The detail on the touches has been unreal too.
07:30 PM
Mark Noble speaks with BT Sport
[On AZ]: You see the way they control possession, the way they play up from the back – we can tell that they do it every day. These teams are fantastic at doing that.
To be honest, [we need to] make the most of our turnovers tonight. AZ have to come out and win tonight. Hopefully we can hit them on the break and get a goal.
To get to occasions like this, two years running. I’m hoping this year we can go that one step further. For the fans, it’s a thank you. The club is big enough, and should, be playing in nights like this.
[On Declan Rice]: I knew years ago, I said before when he was 17, I knew at some point he would take my armband. He’s such a great kid, he’s a great man now. Declan is a top top class player. He’s the driving force of the team.
07:25 PM
David Moyes speaks with BT Sport
I think we’re all looking forward to the game, it’s been a big build-up for us. Now we’re here and hopefully we can go out and perform.
I felt that the players, the ones we’re putting out there can cause them some problems.
We’re away from home, I want us to go and score, to get after them when we can.
We know we’re going to be under pressure, especially early on. We need to be able to deal with that.
Hopefully we’re a little but more experienced, a bit more prepared for it.
07:19 PM
On the team news
West Ham revert to their strongest available line-up for tonight’s match.
David Moyes makes nine changes from the Premier League defeat by Brentford on Sunday with Declan Rice, Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio among those coming back in.
The Hammers lead 2-1 from the first leg as they bid to reach a first European final in 47 years.
07:17 PM
Early flares…
07:10 PM
Team news: AZ Alkmaar’s starting XI
AZ Alkmaar: Ryan, Sugawara, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, Kerkez, Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie, van Brederode, Pavlidis, Karlsson.
Subs: Dani de Wit, Verhulst, Mihailovic, Lahdo, Bazoer, Vanheusden, Buurmeester, Mees de Wit, Meerdink, Goes, Deen.
07:09 PM
Team news: West Ham’s starting XI
West Ham: Areola, Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Lucas Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Coufal, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Emerson Palmieri, Anang, Mubama.
06:44 PM
David Moyes hoping to emulate Everton triumph at AZ Alkmaar
West Ham United manager David Moyes returns to AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night in hope of repeating his victory here in 2007, when his Everton side became the first team to ever inflict a European home loss on the Dutch side.
AZ had gone 32 games unbeaten at home in Europe, over a period spanning three decades, before their meeting with Moyes in 2007, when Everton won 3-2 in the UEFA Cup.
The Dutch team have remained formidable at home ever since, with Arsenal and Manchester United among the clubs who have failed to win at the AFAS Stadion in recent seasons, and they are unbeaten in their last 25 European home games.
Moyes said he has fond memories of that night in 2007 as he looks to guide his West Ham team past AZ and into the final of the Europa Conference League. West Ham lead 2-1 following last week’s first leg at the London Stadium.
“I have been here and won before,” said Moyes. “I remember it well. I have to try to do that again tomorrow night. That’s the job. I remember it because I have so much respect for Louis van Gaal and he was the [AZ] coach at that time. I was still a very young coach learning my way.
“I have always enjoyed coming to the Netherlands, I have always enjoyed coming here to play in youth tournaments, to be around watching football. I remember that night quite well.”
West Ham were knocked out at the semi-final stage of last season’s Europa League, when they were defeated by Eintracht Frankfurt, and will look to use that loss as motivation on Thursday night.
Asked about the loss to Frankfurt a year ago, midfielder Tomas Soucek said: “I have not watched the game [back] because I was so disappointed for many days and even months. Even now. We want to give our fans this chance to get to the final. I think we are even more motivated than last year.
“We are very happy that it is in our hands, but we don’t want to come here and defend the result. We want to play our way.”