After pulling themselves to a position likely out of reach of the Premier League relegation scrap, West Ham can place renewed attention on a European semi-final as they host Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Europa Conference League meeting.
The Hammers produced a fantastic 90 minutes in a win over Manchester United last weekend that took them seven points clear of the drop, which allows them to breathe easier, and feel comfortable about deploying first-team players in Europe.
Their opponents AZ Alkmaar fell 2-0 loss at Anderlecht in the first leg of their quarterfinal, but matched that with a 2-0 win at home in the second leg, advancing to the semifinals on penalties.
AZ are fourth in the Eredivisie table, in a topsy-turvy season for the Dutch league in which Feyenoord are likely to win the title, with Ajax sitting a distant third.
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar match facts
- Date: Thursday, May 11
- Kickoff Time: 3:00 pm ET / 8:00 pm BST / 5:00 am AEST (Fri, May 12)
- Location: London Stadium (London, England)
- Official: Halil Umut Meler (TUR)
- Last meeting: None, first all-time meeting between these clubs
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: West Ham (-175)
- Score prediction: West Ham 2-1 AZ Alkmaar
West Ham are in good form, and while their defensive frailties have been evident all season, the performance against Manchester United showed their capabilities. The Hammers were always too good for relegation, and finally they created some space to prove it.
AZ will surely put up a good fight, but it is the Premier League side who are favoured to prevail.
| West Ham win | Draw | AZ win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | WHU advance | AZ advance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -175 | +290 | +450 | -110 / -130 | -120 / -120 | -175 | +125 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | -180 | +291 | +462 | -115 / -135 | -116 / -115 | — | — |
| SkyBet (UK) | 8/15 | 29/10 | 19/4 | 10/11, 4/5 | 5/6, 5/6 | — | — |
| Neds (Australia) | 1.53 | 3.80 | 5.80 | 1.91 / 1.80 | 1.87 / 1.87 | 1.57 | 2.30 |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.53 | 3.85 | 5.80 | 1.93 / 1.81 | 1.86 / 1.88 | 1.47 | 2.57 |
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar: best bet
- Pick: Both teams to score — YES
- Odds: -110 (BetMGM)
West Ham can scored goals, as proven by their solid attacking performances against the likes of Man United, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth over the past month.
While AZ held Ajax to a 0-0 draw over the weekend, they allowed a vast number of chances in the process, lucky not to concede thanks mostly to awful Ajax finishing (0.91 xGOT on 2.47 xG, yikes), and Australia international Mat Ryan in goal.
This could get cagey if neither side risks opening themselves up in the first leg, but given each side's relative defensive weaknesses, there should be goals in this game for both, and West Ham will push for a win at home to set themselves up in the second leg on the road.
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar prop bet
- Pick: Michail Antonio anytime goalscorer
- Odds: +170 (BetMGM)
Sometimes you just have to go for the low-hanging fruit, and here, that's absolutely the case. The main goal threat for West Ham the last few weeks has been their main striker Michail Antonio, and there's no reason to think that will change in this match.
Antonio has collected two goals on 3.28 xG over his past six Premier League games, and he has two braces in his last three Europa Conference League games as well, including a double at home in the 4-1 win over Gent last round. With Jarrod Bowen taking a back seat to Antonio up front in recent months, he's the one to back in this game.
West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | Paramount+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | BT Sport 1 | BT Sport |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| New Zealand | — | Spark Sport |
| India | — | — |
| Hong Kong | beIN Sports 5 | beIN Sports Connect |
| Malaysia | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect, sooka |
| Singapore | beIN SPorts | beIN Sports Connect |
