Get ready for the exciting clash of West Ham United vs AZ Alkmaar! Our prediction article covers the preview, team news, and more.
West Ham United will host AZ Alkmaar at the London Stadium for the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final. The Hammers are riding high on confidence after defeating Manchester United in the Premier League, a win that all but secured their safety in the top flight for another season.
AZ Alkmaar, on the other hand, have been impressive in the competition so far, claiming big scalps in Lazio and Anderlecht en route to the semi-finals. (If you are interested in betting, then you should learn more about Orbit Exchange or Betting Exchange.)
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West Ham’s Run in Europe and Form
West Ham’s journey in the Europa Conference League has been impressive, with the Hammers extending their unbeaten streak in Europe to 12 fixtures. However, their opponents in the semi-finals, AZ Alkmaar, will be the biggest test yet for David Moyes’ men.
The Hammers’ squad depth has been highlighted in their comeback victory against Gent in the quarter-finals, where they overturned a 2-1 aggregate deficit to progress. Moyes will hope that his squad has learned lessons from their underperformance in last year’s Europa League semi-finals against Eintracht Frankfurt.
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AZ Alkmaar’s Chances
AZ Alkmaar have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in this competition, having defeated some of Europe’s top teams en route to the semi-finals. They will view this as their best opportunity to win a European trophy, with momentum very much on their side. Pascal Jansen’s side will need to balance their priorities between this competition and the Eredivisie, where they are just two points adrift of Europa League qualification.
West Ham United vs AZ Alkmaar Team News
West Ham are likely to name the same starting eleven that defeated Manchester United, with midfielder Tomas Soucek expected to be passed fit after suffering a head knock. However, defender Kurt Zouma is likely to miss out with an ankle injury.
Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will return to the starting line-up. AZ Alkmaar’s Jens Odgaard is a major doubt after suffering a thigh injury, while Milos Kerkez is suspended.
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West Ham United vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction
While West Ham are the favourites to earn a narrow lead from the first leg, AZ Alkmaar deserve plenty of respect ahead of this tie. On that note, we predict a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the reverse fixture in the Netherlands.
There are more different betting information on Germany betting exchange.