AZ Alkmaar are out of the Conference League after a poor 2-0 loss against Legia Warsaw in Poland.

AZ headed to Poland needing to win to reach the knockout rounds but Pascal Jansen made the strange decision to start with right-back Denso Kasius instead of a winger. Ruben van Bommel, Ernest Poku and Jayden Addai all started on the bench. Due to Mathew Ryan’s injury, Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduru started in goal for the first time.

AZ struggled to create chances in the opening stages but they had plenty of the ball. Legia Warsaw didn’t threaten but after 34 minutes, a cross found Yuri Ribeiro at the back post and he had plenty of space to net.

AZ’s chances of a comeback were all but ended early in the second half when Bruno Martins Indi saw a red card for a rash challenge.

Jansen turned to the bench but Jens Odgaard, Riechedly Bazoer, and Ibrahim Sadiq brought little. Eventually, Legia made the extra man count and Blaz Kramer doubled the host’s lead.

AZ slumped to their fourth loss in the group and they are out of Europe before the winter break.




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