AZ's unexpected 3-1 victory over favorites Feyenoord in the 28th round of the Eredivisie. Details of the underdog's triumph.
AZ Alkmaar pulled off a minor upset by crushing Feyenoord 3-1 in the 28th round of the Eredivisie. The hosts capitalized on the Rotterdam side's defensive mistakes and delivered one of their best performances of the season.
How the underdog outplayed the favorite
The match started with Feyenoord dominating, but in the 11th minute, the visiting defender Marcos López made a costly mistake, which Jordy Clasie capitalized on. In the second half, Dani de Wit and Wout Weghorst secured the lead, while Santiago Giménez scored Feyenoord's only goal deep into stoppage time.
We knew we could beat them if we played aggressively. Today every player gave 120%.
— Паскаль Янсен, главный тренер АЗ
Tactical nuances of the match
AZ used an unexpected 3-5-2 formation that completely disorganized the usual play of Feyenoord. The midfielders of the hosts constantly created numerical superiority in the center of the field.
The 20-year-old midfielder Ernest Payouti stood out in particular, making two assists and being named the match's best player.
This victory allows AZ to climb to 6th place in the table, while Feyenoord loses its chances for the championship, trailing the leader by 8 points.