AZ Alkmaar 7-0 Dundee Utd (agg 7-1): Visitors suffer equal worst Euro loss by Scottish side

AZ Alkmaar 7-0 Dundee Utd (agg 7-1): Visitors suffer equal worst Euro loss by Scottish side

Dundee United slumped to the joint heaviest European defeat by a Scottish side as AZ Alkmaar marched into the Europa Conference League play-offs.

It equals 7-0 losses by Hibernian against Malmo in 2013 and Celtic to Barcelona three years later.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg, United conceded five in 23 first-half minutes.

Vangelis Pavlidis and Tijjani Reijnders both netted twice and Hakon Evjen also scored before Dani de Wit and Mayckel Lahdo added to the visitors' misery.

Head coach Jack Ross said "I would like to apologise to the travelling fans" after United surpassed their heaviest European defeat - a 5-0 second-leg thumping by Dinamo Moscow the last time they qualified 10 years ago.

Indeed, they narrowly avoided suffering the worst-ever loss for a Scottish club when Pavlidis struck the post in stoppage time as AZ moved on to face Gil Vicente, the Portuguese having beaten Latvian visitors Riga 4-0 for a 5-1 aggregate win.

"For every plaudit and praise we received in the aftermath of last Thursday, we will deserve every bit of criticism we get on the back of that," Ross told BBC Scotland.

"We played against a good team in a tough venue, but we conceded six goals in 26 minutes. Heads become foggy. It's a sore, sore night for us. Pride is damaged by that."

Ross had sacrificed the flair of first-leg scorer Glenn Middleton and handed a debut to Australia left-back Aziz Behich as experienced pair Charlie Mulgrew and Ian Harkes were brought back into the side after Sunday's domestic defeat by Livingston.

The solidity shown in the first leg looked to have returned as United subdued AZ for the first quarter, but they failed to heed the warning signs as goalkeeper Mark Birighitti saved from Pavlidis and Evjen.

A flowing passing move opened up the defence and Pavlidis tapped in his third goal of the season from a Milos Kerkez cutback.

United threatened to level, but goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst superbly palmed over Harkes' athletic hitch-kick from six yards.

Visiting optimism began to dwindle as midfielder Reijnders fired low past Birighitti from 18 yards.

It disappeared completely after the United goalkeeper, moments after fumbling on the line under a Pavlidis challenge, punched thin air as he looked to meet an Evjen corner and the Greece striker headed into the empty net.

Reijnders fired home as United struggled to clear inside their penalty box before fellow midfielder Evjen rifled in a strike from 20 yards.

Any half-time advice imparted by Ross had little effect as AZ increased the lead in their first attack after the break when midfielder De Wit followed up from close range after a Pavlidis shot was blocked.

Substitute winger Lahdo drilled in the Dutch side's final goal with 15 minutes remaining, but there was still time for Pavlidis to be denied a hat-trick as his late drive struck the outside of a post.

Man of the match - Pavlidis (AZ)

_126288389_pavlidis.jpgStriker Vangelis Pavlidis scored twice but came close to a hat-trick and ran the United defence ragged with his movement

Embarrassing for club and country

United received a major lesson - that they are obviously not as good as they thought they were after receiving plenty of plaudits from their impressive first-leg win over wily European operators.

They have endured a result not only embarrassing for a club that once famously reached the Uefa Cup final but for Scottish football as a whole.

Yes, AZ have now not lost in 20 European ties at home and United were always underdogs, even after establishing a 1-0 lead, but the way they capitulated will leave question marks over the mentality and ability of a group of players with plenty of top-level experience.

AZ boss Pascal Jansen learned his lessons from the first leg to win the battle of strategies. Now it is up to Ross to find a way to somehow lift his players for their return, heads bowed, to the domestic scene.

What they said

Dundee United captain Ryan Edwards: "It's hard to describe it. We conceded too many soft goals.

"People have paid money to come over and watch and it ends like that. It's embarrassing."

What's next?

United travel to face Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday (15:00 BST).

Line-ups

AZ Alkmaar

Formation 4-2-3-1

12Verhulst

3Hatzidiakos31Beukema4Martins Indi5Kerkez

6Reijnders8Clasie

18Evjen10de Wit33van Brederode

9Pavlidis

12Verhulst3HatzidiakosSubstituted forWitryat 62'minutes31Beukema4Martins Indi5KerkezSubstituted forde Witat 62'minutes6Reijnders8ClasieBooked at 63minsSubstituted forBazoerat 76'minutes18Evjen10de WitSubstituted forBarasiat 76'minutes33van BrederodeSubstituted forLahdoat 62'minutes9Pavlidis

Substitutes

1Vindahl2Sugawara13Westerveld14Koopmeiners15Witry17Barasi22Dekker23Lahdo25Bazoer32de Jong34de Wit

Dundee Utd

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Birighitti

2Smith12Edwards4Mulgrew16Behich

14Sibbald19Levitt

18McGrath23Harkes32Watt

9Fletcher

1Birighitti2Smith12Edwards4Mulgrew16BehichSubstituted forMcMannat 54'minutes14SibbaldSubstituted forNiskanenat 45'minutes19LevittSubstituted forMeekisonat 75'minutes18McGrath23Harkes32WattSubstituted forMiddletonat 45'minutes9FletcherSubstituted forAnim Cudjoeat 66'minutes

Substitutes

3McMann6Graham7Niskanen10Clark13Eriksson15Middleton17Meekison22Freeman25Fotheringham28Anim Cudjoe44MacleodReferee:Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz

Live Text

Match ends, AZ 7, Dundee United 0.

Second Half ends, AZ 7, Dundee United 0.

Mayckel Lahdo (AZ) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Hobie Verhulst.

Foul by Yusuf Barasi (AZ).

Liam Smith (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Ryan Edwards (Dundee United) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Charlie Mulgrew with a cross following a set piece situation.

Foul by Tijjani Reijnders (AZ).

Jamie McGrath (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Aslak Witry.

Attempt blocked. Glenn Middleton (Dundee United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Foul by Bruno Martins Indi (AZ).

Glenn Middleton (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Attempt blocked. Yusuf Barasi (AZ) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Vangelis Pavlidis.

Attempt blocked. Aslak Witry (AZ) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Vangelis Pavlidis.

Offside, AZ. Bruno Martins Indi tries a through ball, but Yusuf Barasi is caught offside.

Attempt blocked. Vangelis Pavlidis (AZ) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aslak Witry.

Substitution, AZ. Riechedly Bazoer replaces Jordy Clasie.

Substitution, AZ. Yusuf Barasi replaces Dani de Wit.

Substitution, Dundee United. Archie Meekison replaces Dylan Levitt.

Goal! AZ 7, Dundee United 0. Mayckel Lahdo (AZ) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Vangelis Pavlidis.

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