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AZ Alkmaar
Eredivisie | Gameweek 7
Sep 18, 2022 at 3.45pm UK
AFAS Stadion, Alkmaar
Ajax

AZ
2 - 1
Ajax

de Wit (40'), Odgaard (45+5')
Milos (42'), Odgaard (45+3'), Reijnders (87')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Kudus (12')
Taylor (26'), Alvarez (77')

Preview: AZ Alkmaar vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Eredivisie clash between AZ Alkmaar and Ajax, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Matchday seven of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season concludes with a meeting between AZ Alkmaar and Ajax at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday afternoon.

The home side will be looking to maintain their 100% record in the league this term, while the visitors seek to preserve their unbeaten start to the new campaign.


Match preview

Ajax suffered a 2-1 defeat against Premier League giants Liverpool when the teams locked horns in the group stages of the Champions League on Tuesday.

After going behind to Mohamed Salah's opener, Alfred Schreuder's men hit back through Mohammed Kudus before conceding a late header to Joel Matip.

Prior to that, De Godenzonen claimed an empathic 5-0 victory over Heerenveen on Sunday and remain top of the pile in the Eredivisie standings.

Awaiting them next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who managed four of a possible six points from the two league meetings between the sides last term.

Fresh off the back of a first competitive loss on enemy territory since April, Sunday's visitors will be aiming to get themselves back on track away from home.

AZ Alkmaar coach Pascal Jansen before the match on March 10, 2022© Reuters

AZ Alkmaar made it back to back wins in the Europa Conference League as they got the better of Vaduz thanks to a 4-1 thrashing on Thursday.

Pascal Jansen's men broke the deadlock through Yusuf Barasi in the 19th minute, but they were pegged back shortly afterwards by Anthony Goelzer before a late flurry of second-half goals from Sam Beukema, Yukinari Sugawara and Dani de Wit decided the contest.

However, the Cheeseheads were held to a 1-1 stalemate in their last domestic encounter against FC Twente and have now dropped to fourth place in the league table.

Currently on a run of nine victories and three draws in their most recent 12 games on home turf, Sunday's visitors are certainly no pushovers in front of their fans and will be confident of securing a positive result here.

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W

Ajax Eredivisie form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Ajax form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L


Team News

Vangelis Pavlidis remains ruled out for AZ Alkmaar due to a leg injury, while Sweden international Jesper Karlsson continues to nurse a muscle injury.

Midfielder Hakon Evjen missed the victory over Vaduz in midweek with an ankle problem which could see him sit out Sunday's contest as well.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Bruno Martins Indi made his return to action in the aforementioned game and is expected to retain his place in the starting lineup.

Owen Wijndal and Mohammed Ihattaren are both unavailable for Ajax this weekend, but they are drawing increasingly closer to making a return to action.

With goals in each of his last four outings, Mohammed Kudus will be aiming to continue his hot streak in front of goal before leaving for national-team duty.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Verhulst; Chatzidiakos, Kerkez, Dekker, Beukema; Reijnders, Clasie, De Wit; Barasi, Odgaard, Van Brederode

Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Resnch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Berghuis, Alvarez, Taylor; Tadic, Bergwijn, Kudus


SM words green background

We say: AZ Alkmaar 1-3 Ajax

Despite failing to win any of the league encounters between the teams last time out, Ajax have dominated this fixture to a large degree, and it is hard to foresee any other result rather than a win for them. While we expect AZ Alkmaar to give a good account of themselves, we are also backing the visitors to carry the day.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: AZ vs Ajax

AZ Alkmaar
12.3%
Draw
7.7%
Ajax
80.0%
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1PSV EindhovenPSV1312014593636
2Feyenoord1384131131828
3FC UtrechtUtrecht119112011928
4Ajax1182125111426
5FC Twente1374226121425
6Go Ahead Eagles135351820-218
7AZ AlkmaarAZ125252314917
8Fortuna SittardSittard135261418-417
9NECNijmegen125161910916
10Willem II124351312115
11NAC BredaNAC Breda125071221-915
12Heerenveen134271326-1314
13Heracles133461425-1113
14PEC Zwolle123361422-812
15Groningen133371224-1212
16Sparta RotterdamSparta122551218-611
17Almere CityAlmere City13139630-246
18RKC WaalwijkRKC Waalwijk1312101233-215


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