AZ Alkmaar secured an important 2-3 away victory at sc Heerenveen on Sunday, with captain Jordy Clasie afterwards singling out left-winger Ro-Zangelo Daal for praise. Speaking to reporters, Clasie labelled Daal the outright best one-on-one dribbler in the Eredivisie.
Pascal Jansen's side found themselves 2-1 down at halftime in the Abe Lenstra Stadion after a poor first-half performance. Clasie stated the tempo was too low and movement was lacking. After the break, their play improved significantly. Substitutes Ayoub Oufkir and Valdemar Byskov were key; Byskov provided the assist for Mexx Meerdink's equaliser and Oufkir scored the late winner. AZ currently sits in third place in the standings with a solid points tally.
Jordy Clasie was unequivocal about his teammate's strength. "You know of course that Ro is the best in the Netherlands in one-on-one situations. I think so," the captain said. He pointed to Daal's timing and his ability to see when a defender is off balance. Those qualities are on display every day in training, where players prefer to avoid a duel with him. Daal, who joined from RKC Waalwijk this summer, has immediately made his mark on the left flank. His runs frequently create chances and are a regular feature in AZ's stats overview.
The first half in Heerenveen was a struggle for the visitors. Despite a beautiful opening goal from Daal, who cut inside from the left and finished from distance, they created little. Clasie analysed: "Both with and without the ball we were too static. Everything was predictable and therefore easy to defend." The turnaround came after the break with fresh legs from the bench. Young Dane Valdemar Byskov played Meerdink in perfectly for 2-2, before Ayoub Oufkir netted the decisive 2-3 in the closing stages. This win fits into a strong start to the season, visible in the upcoming fixtures schedule.
The victory shows the team's resilience and the depth of the squad. Substitutes can make the difference, which will be vital in the coming months with European fixtures on the horizon. Daal's position on the left flank seems secure, but Clasie noted the team also needs to become more dangerous from the right. Players like Weslley and Calvin Stengs, who came on, have the quality to provide that. AZ has now won several league matches in a row. The next task is a home game against FC Utrecht, scheduled for Saturday, September 12th.
The team continues to work on an unpredictable attacking pattern, with both flanks needing to contribute. The full squad, including the players who made the difference on Sunday, can be found on the squad page. AZ faces FC Utrecht at 18:45 in the AFAS Stadion.
