Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
AZ
Match Time & Date:
18/05/2023
21:00
Prediction: 0-1
West Ham
AFAS Stadion will host Thursday’s Conference League game between AZ Alkmaar and West Ham United. The Dutch outfit aim to overcome a one-goal deficit on home soil and their display in a 5-1 crushing of Emmen is surely giving fans a reason for optimism ahead of the visit of West Ham. Hungarian teenager Milos Kerkez is back after missing the first leg through suspension, while fellow defender Pantelis Chatzidiakos is back from the Eredivisie ban.
The Hammers, on the other hand, came from behind to beat AZ in London and they are now on a quest to defend their slim lead in Alkmaar. Considering that the hosts are likely to adopt an attack-minded approach in the return leg, we predict that the visitors will seal the victory on the break. Michail Antonio should be fit for the match, while both Vladimir Coufal and Gianluca Scamacca are sidelined with injuries.
Highlighted Player (Jordy Clasie):
Jordy Clasie is a product of the Feyenoord youth academy who plays for AZ Alkmaar as a midfielder. His main position is defensive midfield, but he is capable of producing fine displays as both central midfielder and centre-back as well.
Clasie played for the likes of Feyenoord, Excelsior (loan), Southampton, and Club Brugge (loan) before returning to Rotterdam. After ending his second spell with Feyenoord, the Dutch footballer joined AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2019. He made his AZ debut in the Eredivisie on August 4, 2019 in a 4-0 win over Fortuna Sittard.
Jordie Clasie has 12 caps with the Netherlands U21 team, and he made his senior debut in a 1-1 draw with Italy on February 6, 2013. Thanks to his elegant style of play, Clasie has earned the nickname of “Dutch Xavi”. The AZ Alkmaar midfielder was born in Haarlem, Netherlands on June 27, 1991.
Highlighted Team (West Ham):
West Ham United are an English football club based in East London. The club was founded in 1895 and it has to be noted that the club’s name was Thames Ironworks back then. The Hammers were playing their home games at Upton Park from 1904 until 2016, when they moved to the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
West Ham have won three FA Cup trophies (1964, 1975 and 1980) and they were runners-up in 1923 and 2006. The capital club finished the 1985/1986 England first division campaign in third place in the standings and that is the club’s highest placing in the top flight. West Ham United have strong rivalries with fellow London clubs, but Tottenham Hotspur are considered the club’s main rivals.
A number of top-class players were part of West Ham in the past and the likes of Joe Cole, Carlos Tevez, Paolo Di Canio, Paul Ince, Julian Dicks, Shaka Hislop, Michael Carrick and Slaven Bilic are some of them.
Barcelona
Las Palmas 
Crystal Palace
Newcastle 
Borussia Dortmund 
Bayern Munich 
Arsenal
Chelsea 
Aston Villa 
Manchester United 
Everton
