AZ Alkmaar won the Dutch Cup after a convincing 5-1 victory over NEC Nijmegen in Rotterdam, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
AZ took the lead in the 32nd minute through left-back Mees de Wit. The team added two more after the break, which were the work of Sven Meinans and Peer Koopmeijers. NEC reduced the deficit in the 78th minute through Japanese striker Koki Ogawa, Meinans scored again for the Alkmaar team, but the goal was canceled for offside.
In the last minute, the new international of the "tulips" Kees Smith scored for the fourth time, and in the fifth minute of added time, Irish international Troy Parrott scored for 5:1.
AZ Alkmaar won the Dutch Cup for the fifth time, but for the first time in the last 13 years, while NEC Nijmegen lost their sixth final.
This success means that AZ Alkmaar will participate directly in the groups of the Europa League next season, as this year they eliminated Levski in the playoffs of the Conference League, and then reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, where they were eliminated by Shakhtar Donetsk.