Dundee United vs AZ Alkmaar Match Analysis and Prediction

Dundee United will begin their UEFA Europa Conference qualification campaign in the third round when they welcome AZ Alkmaar to Tannadice Park for the opening leg on Thursday night.

Dundee United, under Tammy Courts, did well to finish fourth last season in the Scottish Premiership, a position that saw them book an automatic place in the third qualifying round of the EUFA Europa Conference League.

Now starting a new life under Jack Ross after Courts left the club for greener pastures elsewhere, United will be looking to reach the same heights they did last season and above all make an a debut to the Conference League.

They opened the Premiership with a solid 1-1 draw at newly-promoted Kilmarnock and will be looking to build on that as they hope to gain a first leg advantage when AZ Alkmaar coming calling on Thursday.

AZ Alkmaar are yet to return to life in the Eredivisie that kicks off later this week, but they already started the Europa Conference League qualification campaign in the second round.

They emphatically saw out Tuzla City 5-0 on aggregate, following a 1-0 win the first leg at home and a 4-0 win in the returning leg at away. The Dutch outfits will now feel confident of extending their run in the qualification period as they seek to edge closer to reaching the group stage.

Dundee United vs AZ Alkmaar head to head

This will be the second meeting between the two, having only met once before in a club friendly encounter back in 2015. Alkmaar won 3-1 on the day. Take a look at their previous results;

Home

• Kilmarnock 1-1 Dundee United
• Ross County 1-2 Dundee United
• Dundee United 1-1 Celtic
• Rangers 2-0 Dundee United
• Dundee United 1-0 Motherwell

Away

• Tuzla City 0-4 Alkmaar
• Alkmaar 1-0 Bologna
• Alkmaar 1-0 Tuzla City
• Westerlo 0-1 Alkmaar
• Olympiacos 1-0 Alkmaar

Dundee United team news

United will be without midfielder Peter Pawlett due to injury.

AZ Alkmaar team news

AZ have fresh fitness worries aheadoftheThursday’sclash.

Prediction and odds

• Double chance (2, X)
• Both sides to score
• Goals over 2.5