Kick-off: 1755, 27/02/2020
Stadium: Linzer Stadion
LASK Linz look worthy favourites to reach the last 16 of the Europa League after returning from the Netherlands on level terms against AZ Alkmaar.
The Austrian outfit impressed at Linzer Stadion during the group stage, beating Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven and Rosenborg by an aggregate score of 8-1.
That form is good enough to make 87/100 for a home win get the nod as our initial LASK Linz vs AZ Alkmaar prediction.
A Look At LASK Linz’s Betting Odds
LASK took the lead in Holland when Marko Raguz’s deflected shot left AZ keeper Marco Bizot stranded and Dominik Frieser went close to doubling the advantage.
The Black and Whites were then content to soak up pressure, having just 40 per cent of possession, but paid the price for sitting back when conceding a late Teun Koopmeiners penalty.
Valerien Ismael will still feel confident ahead of the return fixture, though, especially after Sunday’s 4-1 domestic triumph over St Polten here.
New signing Husein Balic hit a double against his former club, as LASK moved three points clear of RB Salzburg at the top of the table.
LASK beat the reigning Austrian champions 3-2 away before the trip to the Netherlands, so this is a team in great spirits right now.
Looking at the LASK Linz vs AZ Alkmaar odds, we like 19/10 for a home win and over 2.5 goals in the game.
A Look At AZ Alkmaar’s Betting Odds
AZ Alkmaar had their fair share of chances in the opening encounter, with Koopmeiners testing Alexander Schlager with an early free-kick and Oussama Idrissi hitting the post.
Idrissi, striker Myron Boadu and winger Calvin Stengs have been attracting attention from some big clubs, so this is a talented team.
However, we just fear Arne Slot could be distracted by Sunday’s big Eredivisie clash with Ajax in Amsterdam.
Last weekend’s 2-0 home win over PEC Zwolle kept AZ three points behind the leaders and that potential title decider may take precedence.
The visitors can do better than when hammered 4-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford in the final round of pool stage fixtures.
We fear this is a tough test, though, and 31/4 for a 2-1 home win completes our LASK Linz vs AZ Alkmaar betting tips.
Additional stats
First-leg result:
AZ ALKMAAR 1-1 LASK LINZ – Teun Koopmeiners (pen) + Marko Raguz
Previous head-to-head: N/A
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