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De
Graafschap lineup: Wevers - Bot, Bakens, Van der Kruis, Hermans
- Culina, Van Leerdam, Van den Brom, Turpijn - Valeev, Van Vossen.
AZ
lineup: Moens - Tobiasen, Opdam, Wijker, De Cler - Meerdink, Lindenbergh,
Robbemond, Perez - Van Galen, Nelisse.
AZ have finally booked their first win of the
season with a 1-2 at De Graafschap. The Alkmaarders had only earned
themselves one point in theirng 3 matches but Martijn Meerdink, who
turned out for the home team last season, inspired them to victory this
afternoon. Meerdink, celebrating his 26th birthday today, equalized for the Alkmaarders in the 43rd
after Australian midfielder Jason Culina (on loan
from Ajax) put the SuperBoeren in the lead with a 28th minute goal. The last
three minutes of theng half saw intense pressure at the home end which
resulted in Barry van Galen scoring the 1-2 on the stroke of halftime. In
the break AZ trainer Henk van Stee clearly told his men to close down the
shop and the visitors were content to defend during the 2nd 45
minutes. It proved to be hard work holding onto that slender lead and
defender Ole Tobiassen was clearly close to exhaustion in the closing
minutes. The tactic worked though and they take home the first 3 points of
this season which take them into 14th place while De Graafschap sink to
15th.
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