When it was over most of the statistics pointed to a night of AZ Alkmaar dominance. They had more possession, more shots, more territory and more corners. Yet what AZ lacked was a way of making any of it count and, as hard as they tried to find a way through, it never seemed they were capable of stopping a dogged and professional West Ham from reaching their first European final in 47 years.
Ultimately, for all that their inability to guard possession made for an anxious second half, West Ham would succeed in grinding AZ down. There were, of course, some nervy moments and with 20 minutes…
