Noah vs AZ – News and Probable Lineups

After making history by reaching this stage of the Conference League, FC Noah will be aiming for a favorable result in the first leg against AZ Alkmaar at Abovyan City Stadium this Thursday.

No Armenian team has ever progressed to the playoff round in Europe, and Sandro Perkovic’s squad hopes to create even more history by knocking out the erstwhile UEFA Cup finalists.

Match overview

In just nine years since their formation, Noah has etched its name in Armenian football by not only qualifying for the main stage of continental competition in consecutive seasons but also taking a step further this year.

Having exited after finishing the league stage in 31st place among 36 clubs in 2024-25, Perkovic has performed better in his first year at the helm than his predecessor Rui Mota, concluding the season in the top 24 with a commendable 19th place finish.

This achievement came after Noah secured eight points from a possible 18, a modest tally on its own but vastly improved compared to last season when they managed just four points.

Upon closer inspection, the goals conceded this season have been notably fewer, with Mota’s team allowing 16 goals while Perkovic’s squad was breached only seven times in six matches, most importantly not conceding more than two goals in any single game.

Despite experiencing mixed results in their friendly matches leading up to Thursday’s fixture, having not won in four outings, Noah—the team boasting three home victories out of four in this year’s Conference League—will strive to secure a fourth win against their Dutch foes.

AZ appears to be on the mend after a difficult January, which resulted in just one win from four matches across all competitions, with the first defeat in that sequence leading to the departure of Maarten Martens from his position in Alkmaar.

February has brought renewed positivity for the Cheese Farmers, entering this week’s international match on a three-game unbeaten streak, with two 2-1 wins surrounding a 1-1 draw against Ajax in the Eredivisie.

These results mean that Lee-Roy Echteld is just one favorable outcome away from his first four-match unbeaten run since early to mid-December, when the team managed two victories and two draws, including a 3-0 win in continental competition against Drita.

That triumph was significant as it marked AZ’s first positive result on the road in Europe following a 4-0 defeat to AEK Larnaca and a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace, and De Kaasboeren will be looking to achieve back-to-back wins away from home this Thursday.

A slow start had threatened AZ’s continental ambitions, as they gained only three points from their initial nine, but the Cheese Farmers found their rhythm in the second half of the league phase by amassing seven points from three games.

Those performances were especially impressive as the Eredivisie side managed to navigate those 270 minutes without conceding, defeating Shelbourne (2-0) and Drita, before playing to a goalless draw against Jagiellonia in matchday six, marking a clear improvement.

They now carry that three-match unbeaten run into Thursday’s game in Armenia, aiming to avoid defeat against Perkovic’s team and take a positive result into the subsequent reverse fixture in Alkmaar.

Team News

Goncalo Gregorio seems to be the sole absentee for Noah, having not played since July due to a significant knee injury.

No player has scored more than Nardin Mulahusejnovic, who has netted five goals in this year’s competition, and the forward—who has contributed 83.3% of the Armenian club’s six goals in the Conference League—will look to extend his remarkable tally.

Sven Mijnans of AZ has scored two fewer goals than Mulahusejnovic, and the return of the attacking midfielder from injury over the weekend enhances the Cheese Farmers’ chances in Abovyan.

While it remains uncertain if he will start, Isak Jensen has performed admirably in Europe up to this point, scoring two goals and assisting one in three starting appearances and six overall, highlighting his game-changing potential should he be called upon by the Dutch team.

However, De Kaasboeren will be without the suspended Mateo Chavez, while Jordy Clasie (ankle), Denso Kasius, Kees Smit, and Seiya Meikuma are dealing with injuries.

FC Noah probable starting XI:

File; Saintini, Silva, Etech; Boakye, Ferreira, Oshima, Sualehe; Jakolis, Mulahusejnovic; Ayers

AZ Alkmaar probable starting XI:

Sweet; Dijkstra, Goes, Penetra, De Wit; Boogaard, Koopmeiners; Patati, Mijnans, Jensen; Parrott

With Mulahusejnovic in excellent form for the hosts and AZ welcoming back offensive talent like Mijnans, both squads possess the ability to cause problems for each other.

Nonetheless, the Dutch team’s greater European experience and enhanced defensive displays as the tournament has unfolded should see them narrowly prevail in what promises to be a closely contested match in Armenia.