UEL: Tottenham Fall to AZ Alkmaar in Europa Conference League Round of 16 First Leg

AZ Alkmaar secured a vital 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa Conference League, thanks to a Lucas Bergvall own goal, to take a significant advantage into the second leg.

AZ Alkmaar secured a crucial advantage in their UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 tie, defeating Tottenham Hotspur. Although the first half was uneventful, the hosts were satisfied with their performance, entering the break with a slender lead.

AZ Alkmaar suffered an early setback when Mayckel Lahdo was forced off with an injury within the opening 10 minutes. He was replaced by Denso Kasius, but the substitution didn't disrupt the team's positive momentum. The only goal of the first half came from a corner, which found Troy Parrott at the back post. Parrott's effort lacked power and direction, but Lucas Bergvall's attempted clearance only sliced the ball over Djed Spence and into the net, giving Alkmaar a fortunate lead.

Ernest Poku, one of AZ Alkmaar's standout performers early on, had an opportunity to double his team's lead but dragged his shot wide. Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario then made a crucial intervention, using his size to deny Troy Parrott a clear scoring chance when one-on-one. Vicario also produced a fine save to keep out Denso Kasius' close-range poke during a chaotic sequence of events in the Tottenham penalty area.

In response, Lucas Bergvall headed wide and Brennan Johnson fired over, encapsulating a lackluster first-half display from the visitors. After the restart, the game continued in a similar vein. Tottenham registered the first two shots of the half, but neither troubled Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro. Alkmaar soon regained control, with Ernest Poku's low shot forcing Vicario into a sharp save to prevent the hosts from extending their lead.

AZ Alkmaar head to London with narrow lead 🔜#UEL pic.twitter.com/Q61Shu9LDp

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 6, 2025

As the game wore on, Alkmaar adopted a more cautious approach, seemingly content to preserve their narrow advantage. However, they were never subjected to any sustained pressure from Tottenham, who failed to register a shot on target until late in the game. Ange Postecoglou's side delivered a lackluster performance, but they still have the opportunity to turn the tie around in the second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week. To do so, however, they will need to produce a significantly improved display.