AZ Alkmaar pose stern test as Sunderland prepare for historic Europa League debut | OneFootball

Sunderland host AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light next Wednesday, a landmark first Europa League fixture for the club. It will mark their return to European competition for the first time since 1973.

Sunderland Echo notes that last season’s seventh place in their first Premier League campaign secured this berth.

AZ finished seventh in the Eredivisie with 52 points from 34 matches, which delivered a place in the European play-offs. They avoided those play-offs by winning the KNVB Cup for the fifth time, beating NEC 5-1 to reach the Europa League league phase.

Despite losing Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott to Real Betis, AZ have started the league campaign superbly. They have won their first five Eredivisie matches, scoring 16 and conceding five.

A routine 2-0 home victory over ADO Den Haag opened their season, followed by away wins at FC Utrecht and Fortuna Sittard. Ro-Zangelo Dal struck twice in a 5-2 success against Go Ahead Eagles at the AFAS Stadion, then scored again in a 3-2 win at Heerenveen on Sunday.

That sequence left AZ two points clear of PSV Eindhoven before Friday night’s home game against Willem II, who had one point from their first four matches.

Source: Sunderland Echo

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