Grieving AZ Alkmaar: missing out on KNVB Cup leaves ‘Very deep wound’ | OneFootball

AZ were one minute away from winning the cup and participating in the Europa League. However, the club from Alkmaar completely gave it away at De Kuip, due in large part to a strange handball by Peer Koopmeiners. Go Ahead Eagles came right back into the match from the spot and eventually even won.

“This causes a very deep wound”, Koopmeiners reflected afterwards. The midfielder felt himself being pulled to the ground and made a show of throwing his hands in the air. “That’s a risk you take,” he explained to ESPN. “You want to be seen by the referee.”

It didn’t have the desired effect. The ball hit his hand and Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot. “It was clear to me that I was being obstructed,” says Koopmeiners. “Unfortunately, not for the referee.”

Mats Deijl scored the penalty for Go Ahead Eagles in the ninth minute of injury time, and with AZ unable to rectify the situation in extra time, the club from Deventer eventually won on penalties.

With Go Ahead grabbing the direct route to the Europa League with this win, AZ now has to force a European place via league placing. The club is sixth and can still mathematically achieve third place, which would allow it to go to the preliminary rounds of the Champions League. For the time being, however, the play-off scenario for a Conference League ticket seems more realistic.

Coach Maarten Martens is annoyed by the situation. “Today we had a cup win and a Europa League ticket within reach. We were incredibly close. That we let it slip away with one minute left to play hurts terribly.”

Final sprint

“Although the situation is still such that we can reach European football. Both directly and through the play-offs. That is what we have to focus on.”

Midfielder Kees Smit added: “We just haven’t been doing so well lately.” With three points from the last five games, AZ are desperately struggling for form. “We now have to put our heads together and move on. Today, I thought our team was the better one.”

Captain Bruno Martins Indi put the poor results into perspective somewhat. “We mainly sell ourselves short. If you look at how we play, also today, then we should win more often. Today we have three or four chances to increase the lead, but we don’t finish them. And then we give it away in the final phase.”

Foul or handball?

It seems that Koopmeiners arrives as an easy scapegoat. Too easy, they think at AZ. “I don’t think it’s his fault that we lost in the end,” says Smit.

“Peer is pulled by his shirt and falls, that is clearly visible,” Martens also defended his player. “I think this is a case where the referee could have whistled for a foul instead of a handball.”

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield