Barça U19A 0-3 AZ Alkmaar: European adventure over

The FC Barcelona U19A side are out of the UEFA Youth League after a 3-0 defeat at home to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar at the Estadi Johan Cruyff in the last 16 of the competition. 

Intensity without goals

The first half of the one legged tie was a tight affair with both sides looking unsuccessfully for the opening goal of the contest.  The first real chance of the game fell to the visitors with Meerdink going close. 

AZ had the better of the early exchanges but slowly the blaugranes found thier way into the contest. Dani Rodríguez could have given the home side the lead after great work by Lamine Yamal but his shot was expertly saved by Dutch keeper Owusu-Oduro. 

No mercy in the second half

After the half time break, AZ came out and imposed themselves on the last 16 contest. Smit caught keeper Astralaga off his line from a long way out to hand the visitors the lead on 56 minutes. Just seven minutes later the team from the Netherlands doubled their lead when Meerdink pounced in the box on a loose ball. 

Barça defender Chadi Riad cleared an effort off the line before a second yellow for Lucas Román saw the blaugranes down to 10 men for the final quarter of an hour. Meerdink popped up in injury time to scored his second and make the final score 3-0 to the visitors who move into the last eight of the competition. 

MATCH STATS:

Barça U19A: 0

AZ Alkmaar: 3

Barça: Ander Astralaga, Domínguez, Chadi Riad, Pelayo, Héctor Fort (Joan Anaya, min. 84), Unai Hernández (Antoni Caravaca, min. 62), Marc Casadó, Ilias Akomach, Dani Rodríguez (Lucas Román, min. 62), Victor Barberá and Lamine Yamal (Marc Guiu, min. 84).

AZ Alkmaar: Owusu-Oduro, Beukers, Schouten, Stam, Mastoras, Kwakman, Smit, Poku (Kerssens, min. 71), De Jong, Addai (Daal, min. 82) and Meerdink.

Goals: 0-1, Smit (min. 56); 0-2, Meerdink (min. 63); 0-3, Meerdink (min. 90).