[Slagathor]

Here's a list of our friendly games this summer (to be updated if anything changes). We start with a game against Zenit St Petersburg.

[CENTER][B]Fortuna Wormerveer 0 - 10 AZ[/B]
Tuesday 08 July 2008 at 19:00h CET
Sportcomplex Fortuna[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]vv Noordwijk 0 - 3 AZ[/B]
Saturday 12 July 2008 at 19:00h CET
Gemeentelijk Sportpark Duinwetering[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]sv Urk 0 - 12 AZ[/B]
Saturday 26 July 2008 at 18:00h CET
Sportpark De Vormt[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ 6 - 1 Telstar[/B]
Saturday 30 July 2008 at 17:30h CET
Wateringcomplex Wormerveer[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]RBC Roosendaal 1 - 3 AZ[/B]
Saturday 02 August 2008 at 17:30h CET
Rosada Stadium[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ 3 - 0 Iraklis Saloniki[/B]
Saturday 09 August 2008 at 19:00h CET
Wateringcomplex Wormerveer[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]Genoa 3 - 1 AZ[/B]
Wednesday 13 August 2008 at 21:00h CET
Stadio Luigi Ferraris[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ 0 - 2 Fiorentina[/B]
Friday 22 August 2008 at 20:00h CET
DSB Stadion[/CENTER]

AZ MEET ZENIT SAINT PETERSBURG

AZ - Zenit Saint Petersburg
Saturday 10 may 2008 at 20:00h CET
DSB Stadium​

AZ will play a friendly match against Zenit Saint Petersburg this Saturday. Season card holds and sponsors may attend the match for free. The game in the DSB Stadium will start at 20:00h (that's 7 pm in the UK).

Zenit, coached by Dick Advocaat, is preparing for the UEFA Cup final and has been playing friendlies to maintain match rythm. The UEFA Cup final will take place on Wednesday 14 May in Manchester against the Glasgow Rangers. Dick Advocaat is hoping to win his second trophy since he started coaching the club after winning the Russian league this past season.

AZ and Zenit met in October 2007 when both teams battled to a 1-all draw in the UEFA Cup group stage.

It's that time of year again, this is our first friendly game of the summer.

 

[Knoert]

Is this pre-season or 'post-season'?

 

[Slagathor]

Stop asking difficult questions

 

[Slagathor]

AZ 2-2 Zenit Saint Petersburg
Saturday 10 may 2008 at 20:00h CET
DSB Stadium​

AZ AND ZENIT SHARE HONOURS

ALKMAAR- AZ took on FC Zenit St. Petersburg in a friendly at the DSB Stadium in Alkmaar on Saturday night. Pellè and Moreno scored first-half goals to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, to the delight of the 10,000-strong crowd, but the champions of Russia leveled things after the break. Schaars and Didulica made their comeback for AZ from injury.

FC Zenit St. Petersburg used the game to step up their preparations for Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final against Glasgow Rangers. Stijn Schaars made his first appearance for AZ since 15 April 2007. The AZ captain saw his team open the scoring after 26 minutes, when Graziano Pellè beat the keeper at the far post. Six minutes later, AZ went 2-0 up, when Mexican defender Héctor Moreno rose high above his marker to head home Simon Poulsen’s corner. Shirokov reduced the deficit for Zenit on the stroke of half time: 2-1.

AZ had more reason to celebrate when Joey Didulica was brought on at half time, making his long awaited comeback to first-team action after a lengthy injury lay-off, just like Stijn Schaars. Both teams had their moments in the second half, with Pellè and Arshavin coming close to scoring a goal. Substitute Pogrebnyak converted a penalty nine minutes from the end to ensure a share of the spoils: 2-2.

“It was a useful warm-up match for Zenit”, said Louis van Gaal at the post-match press conference. “It was an important game for them, as they are preparing for Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final against Glasgow Rangers. I hope Zenit will lift the UEFA Cup on Wednesday, as they are attack-minded.”

MATCH DETAILS

AZ – Zenit Sint-Petersburg 2-2 (2-1)

AZ: Boy Waterman (46. Joey Didulica), Milano Koenders, Ryan Donk, Héctor Moreno, Barry Opdam (46. Sébastien Pocognoli), David Mendes da Silva (79. Toni Kolehmainen), Mounir El Hamdaoui, Stijn Schaars (46. Ruud Vormer), Simon Poulsen (46. Haris Medunjanin), Ari (46. Furdjel Narsingh), Graziano Pellè.

Zenit Sint-Petersburg: Vyacheslav Malafeev (46. Kamil Contotalsky), Ivica Krizanac (46. Vladislav Radimov), Alejandro Dominguez (46. Victor Faizulin), Fatih Tekke (61. Pavel Pogrebnyak), Andrey Arshavin (79. Alexey Ionov), Radek Sirl (46. Tomas Hubocan), Roman Shirokov, Konstantin Zyryanov (46. Fernando Ricksen), Alexander Anyukov, Igor Denisov, Anatoly Tymoshchuk (46. Alexander Gorshkov).

Goals: 26. Pellè 1-0, 33. Moreno 2-0, 45. Shirokov 2-1, 81. Progrebnyak 2-2 (penalty)
Booked: Donk
Referee: Kevin Blom
Attendance: 10, 000

Didn't watch it, but it's good to hear Pellè can convert actual chances I guess

Schaars :thumbsup: Nice to have Didulica back but Romero has to be our #1 keeper when the season starts again, surely. Waterman might be loaned out in that case I suppose.

 

[henryrules]

Good news about the players coming back.Slag your sig is mad what is wrong with the poor cat.

 

[Slagathor]

Coming up after Euro2008, a particularly boring number of friendly games. I might visit the Roosendaal match since it's relatively near where I live (compared to Urk :lazy: ):

Fortuna Wormerveen - AZ
vv Noordwijk - AZ
sv Urk - AZ
AZ - Telstar
RBC Roosendaal - AZ

 

[henryrules]

Why we not playing any big teams in Pre season.Are they scared because we beat Inter last season.

 

[Slagathor]

Good ol' Graziano won the Toulon Tournament with his native Italy. Shame he sucked balls throughout :lazy:

We gotta sell this guy to the highest bidder asap.

 

[chivu]

Kluivert walking round now on trial. As a coach that is.

 

[Slagathor]

So weird to think he's the same age as Van Nistelrooy.

 

[chivu]

If only Rijkaard scored that goal in Vienna....

 

[Slagathor]

There've been some interesting developments in the friendly games department. Since we're not in any European competition this year, a quick August visit to Italy will have to suffice. Not a bad line-up.

Here's the full list, you can also find it in the first post of this thread.

[CENTER][B]Fortuna Wormerveer - AZ[/B]
Tuesday 08 July 2008 at 19:00h CET
Sportcomplex Fortuna[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]vv Noordwijk - AZ[/B]
Saturday 12 July 2008 at 19:00h CET
Gemeentelijk Sportpark Duinwetering[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]sv Urk - AZ[/B]
Saturday 26 July 2008 at 18:00h CET
Sportpark De Vormt[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ - Telstar[/B]
Saturday 30 July 2008 at 19:00h CET
Wateringcomplex Wormerveer[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]RBC Roosendaal - AZ[/B]
Saturday 02 August 2008 at 19:00h CET
Rosada Stadium[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ - Iraklis Saloniki[/B]
Saturday 09 August 2008 at 19:00h CET
Wateringcomplex Wormerveer[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]Genoa - AZ[/B]
Wednesday 13 August 2008 at 21:00h CET
Stadio Luigi Ferraris[/CENTER]

[CENTER][B]AZ - Fiorentina[/B]
Friday 22 August 2008 at 20:00h CET
DSB Stadion[/CENTER]

 

[Jarie]

10-0

good start for them

 

[Slagathor]

AZ reach double figures in first outing of the season

WORMERVEER- AZ began their pre-season campaign with a 10-0 victory over amateurs Fortuna Wormerveer. El Hamdaoui (2x), Ari, Dembélé (2x), Donk and Van der Velden scored the first-half goals. Pellè (2x) and Martens were on target after the break. All in all, 22 players made an appearance in AZ's first pre-season friendly.

AZ showed a few nice early touches in their first outing of the season and Mounir El Hamdaoui scored the goal that was simply inevitable after thirteen minutes. AZ were much the sharper side throughout but failed to score a few more goals during the next fifteen minutes as Ari and El Hamdaoui missed chances to double AZ’s advantage, while Stijn Schaars sent a free kick wide of the post.

Van Gaal’s team showed scoring prowess in the closing stages of the first half, though. Ari tapped home from close range and Moussa Dembélé then got his name on the score sheet after Schaars had superbly singled him out. Dembélé made it four on the half hour mark, while four minutes later El Hamdaoui rounded keeper De Vrieze before slotting home; 0-5. Five minutes from half time, Van der Velden’s effort deviated off Ryan Donk; 0-6. Van der Velden scored the last goal of the first period, after Ari had set up the midfielder who operated on the right flank; 0-7.

El Hamdaoui

Van Gaal fielded an entirely new team at the start of the second half. Van Gaal: “I played two different teams as it is important for all of my players to have a good working out. That’s why I didn’t make any first and second half substitutions.”

Pellè

Graziano Pellè, who had been brought on to replace Ari, soon made his mark, scoring a great goal in spectacular fashion. The Italian striker struck a powerful shot with the outside of his right boot from the edge of the area that sailed into the roof of the net. After Kees Luijckx, Pellè and Héctor Moreno, who saw his header cleared off the line, had failed to take their chances, Maarten Martens and Pellè made sure in the closing stages that AZ reached double figures in their first pre-season outing.

AZ’s pre-season continues with a game at VV Noordwijk on Saturday 12 July, kick off 7pm.

MATCH DETAILS

Fortuna Wormerveer – AZ 0–10 (0-7)

Teams:

Fortuna Wormerveer: Patrick de Vrieze, Jeroen Bakker, Danny Ris, Marco Ris, Frans Mars, Adil Malouk, Edwin Grootjen, Mustapha Tosun, Pim de Jong, Geert Rol, Arne Commandeur.

AZ: Joey Didulica (46. Boy Waterman), Gill Swerts (46. Toni Kolehmainen), Kew Jaliens (46. Milano Koenders), Ryan Donk (46. Héctor Moreno), Sébastien Pocognoli (Niklas Moisander), David Mendes da Silva (46. Kees Luijckx), Stijn Schaars (46. Haris Medunjanin), Nick van der Velden (46. Gregory Nelson), Mounir El Hamdaoui (46. Maarten Martens), Moussa Dembélé (46. Simon Poulsen), Ari (46. Graziano Pellè).

Goals: 13. El Hamdaoui 0-1, 26. Ari 0-2, 27. Dembélé 0-3, 29. Dembélé 0-4, 33. El Hamdaoui 0-5, 40. Donk 0-6, 43. Van der Velden 0-7, 51. Pellè 0-8, 78. Martens 0-9, 90. Pellè 0-10.

Booked: -
Red cards: -
Referee: P. Beudeker
Attendance: 2, 500

Pellè scored two, he'll be dry and out for the rest of the season then

 

[henryrules]

Nice to see Schaars and Martens back:thumbsup:who is Van Der Velden.Slagathor

 

[Slagathor]

We bought him from Dordrecht, I wasn't impressed by this signing then again we got De Zeeuw from the 2nd League too so...

 

[Slagathor]

Another one in the bag :thumbsup:

AZ also win second pre-season friendly

NOORDWIJK- AZ took a comfortable win in their second pre-season friendly. They beat amateurs vv Noordwijk 3-0 on Saturday night, courtesy of goals from Mounir El Hamdaoui, Simon Poulsen and Graziano Pellè. The AZ players will have a week off before they return to pre-season training on 21 July.

AZ created the first moments of danger after three minutes, but Ari sent his effort over the bar and so did Kees Luijckx minutes later. Stijn Schaars missed an opportunity to put his side ahead after nine minutes. The AZ captain stepped up to take a penalty but only hit the post.

The visitors broke the deadlock after fifteen minutes, when Mounir El Hamdaoui steered a fine shot past goalkeeper Mark Smith to make it 1-0.

AZ coach Van Gaal brought on an entirely new team at the start of the second half, just like he had done at the friendly against Fortuna Wormerveer earlier this week. After Maarten Martens and Graziano Pellè had wasted chances to score a couple of goals, Simon Poulsen doubled AZ’s lead following a great solo run and fifteen minutes from time Toni Kolehmainen set up Pellè who struck a left-footed volley past the Noordwijk keeper.

MATCH DETAILS

vv Noordwijk – AZ 0-3 (0-1)

vv Noordwijk: Mark Smith, Thomas van Duijn, Mike van Dam, Michael Scholten, Rian van der Niet, Nick van Wordragen, Erwin Verkuylen, Nixon Dias, Joost Leonard, Stefan Mertens, Celcius Grant.

AZ: Joey Didulica (46. Boy Waterman), Gill Swerts (46. Milano Koenders), Kew Jaliens (46. Joona Toivio), Ryan Donk (46. Héctor Moreno), Sébastien Pocognoli (46. Niklas Moisander), Kees Luijckx (46. Marko Vejinovic), Stijn Schaars (46. Haris Medunjanin), Moussa Dembélé (46. Simon Poulsen), Nick van der Velden (46. Toni Kolehmainen), Mounir El Hamdaoui (46. Maarten Martens), Ari (46. Graziano Pellè).

Goals: 14. El Hamdaoui 0-1, 70. Poulsen 0-2, 77. Pellé 0-3.
Yellow cards: -
Red cards: -
Referee: Kevin Blom

 

[chivu]

Where is Romero?

 

[Jarie]

Seems like Pelle is in form p

 

[Slagathor]

lol yes

Where is Romero?

Rested vis-a-vis the Olympics I guess. Might as well give the other two no-chancers some minutes.