AZ Alkmaar defeat PAS Giannina 2-1

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Peristeri – Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh plays the full ninety minutes as AZ Alkmaar score a big come from behind victory to advance to UEFA Europa League Play-off round.

PAS Giannina struck first when a long cross from the left was met by the head of Spanish forward Pedro Conde that beat keeper Sergio Rochet at the near side.

AZ defeated PAS Giannina 1-0 last week in the first leg but the early goal by Conde might have caused some nervousness for the Dutch side. Center back Rens van Eijden was late in providing help and marking his man but the header from Conde could have been saved by Uruguayan keeper Rochet.

Twenty minutes later Jahanbakhsh made a perfectly timed run and received a pass in the penalty area from defender Derrick Luckassen.

The Iranian winger wasted no time with his cross that was knocked in by a sliding Dabney dos Santos. The score was now 1-1 but more importantly, AZ scored a crucial away goal and led 2-1 on aggregate.

Seven minutes later Derrick Luckassen made the match safe when he received a pass from the chest of Wout Weghorst, carried the ball into the penalty area, and easily put it past keeper Alexandros Paschalakis to give AZ a 2-1 lead.

There was no more scoring in the second half as AZ Alkmaar defeated PAS Giannina 3-1 on aggregate.