AZ Alkmaar will meet FC Groningen in the final of the Eredivisie play-offs after both clubs came through their first round matches on Saturday.
- By Michael Bell
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At the Abe Lenstra stadium, in what proved to be Marco van Basten’s last game in charge of Heerenveen, Luciano Slagveer gave the home side a 1-0 victory, but it was not enough to come back from the 3-0 defeat in Alkmaar, and AZ progressed.
Vitesse ended their season in horrible fashion as their winless run stretched out to nine games with a 4-1 home defeat to Groningen, which saw Edwin van de Looi’s side progress 5-1 on aggregate.
Tjarron Chery’s first half opener for Groningen was cancelled out by Davy Propper’s strike just after the hour mark, but Vitesse weren’t level for long as Richairo Zivkovic netted a minute later.
As Vitesse poured men forward towards the end, they were hit by two swift counter attack goals from Serbian winger Filip Kostic, who sealed Groningen’s passage to the final.
AZ and Groningen will now face each other over two legs for a place in the Europa League season, with the first leg at the AFAS Stadion on May 15th, before the return at the Euroborg three days later on the 18th.
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