AZ Alkmaar v West Ham predictions and odds: Unbeaten Hammers are heading for the final

Where to watch AZ Alkmaar v West Ham

BT Sport 1, 8pm Thursday

Best bet

West Ham draw no bet
1pt 10-11 Betfair, Power

AZ Alkmaar v West Ham odds

AZ Alkmaar 8-5
West Ham 17-10
Draw 12-5

Odds correct at time of publishing

AZ Alkmaar v West Ham team news

AZ Alkmaar
Sam Westerveld and Bruno Martins Indi remain sidelined but Jesper Karlsson returned from a layoff at the weekend.

West Ham
Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna are expected to be available but Vladimir Coufal is a doubt and Gianluca Scamacca misses out.

AZ Alkmaar v West Ham predictions

West Ham are the only unbeaten team in this season's Europa Conference League and they can extend their unblemished record to 14 games with victory in the second leg of their semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.

The tie is delicately poised after West Ham's 2-1 success at the London Stadium last Thursday, but David Moyes should feel confident in his team's ability to maintain and perhaps extend their advantage.

AZ approached last Thursday's first leg at the London Stadium in a confident manner and established a 1-0 half-time advantage after Tijjani Reijnders' speculative shot found a way past Alphonse Areola.

However, they were unable to withstand a second-half onslaught from the Irons, who ran out worthy winners having dominated the shot count 18 to eight.

West Ham have treated Europa Conference League matches with the utmost respect since the qualifying round, when they ran out 6-1 aggregate winners over Danish side Viborg.

They got a taste for European competition last season with a memorable run to the Europa League semi-finals which featured impressive aggregate successes over Sevilla and Lyon.

It all ended with a bitter taste when Aaron Cresswell and Moyes were sent off during a 1-0 loss away to Eintracht Frankfurt, and those memories are probably firing the Hammers' quest for Europa Conference League glory.

West Ham will not settle for anything less than lifting the trophy and they have the tools to cope with anything AZ can throw at them.

AZ are a tidy, possession-based team who are fourth in the Eredivisie, but they look short of genuine quality in attacking areas with Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis topping their scoring charts with 12 league goals.

West Ham do not have anyone in double figures in the Premier League but they have found goals easier to come by in Europe having scored 32 in 13 Europa Conference League matches.

And there was evidence of the Hammers' threat last Thursday when AZ frequently struggled to cope with Michail Antonio's physical presence and the pace and movement of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma.

The Dutch side will be presented with just as many challenges in the return match and there could be a similar outcome.

Key stat

West Ham are unbeaten in 13 Europa Conference League matches

Probable teams

AZ Alkmaar (4-2-3-1): Ryan; Sugawara, Beukema, Hatzidiakos, M de Wit; Clasie, Reijnders; Odgaard, Mijnans, van Brederode; Pavlidis.
Subs: Verhulst, Mihailovic, Barasi, Lahdo, Bazoer, Karlsson, Vanheusden, Buurmeester, Meerdink.

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Antonio.
Subs: Fabianski, Ings, Fornals, Ogbonna, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Emerson, Johnson.

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