Dutch Cup: Ajax 2 AZ Alkmaar 3

AZ Alkmaar booked a place in the Dutch Cup quarter-finals after an entertaining 3-2 win over Ajax on Thursday.

A 55th-minute penalty from Rasmus Elm proved to be the difference between the teams, giving AZ their first ever win at the Amsterdam ArenA.

The clash was a replay after the first encounter on December 21 was suspended in the 37th minute when AZ goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado was sent off for kicking a fan and coach Gertjan Verbeek ordered his team off the pitch.

Ajax, who led that clash 1-0 when it was called off, took a 10th-minute lead through Siem de Jong, but they were behind just after the half-hour.

Belgium international Maarten Martens equalised, before Charlison Benschop got on the end of an Elm pass and finished clinically to give the visitors the lead after 32 minutes.

But de Jong responded just five minutes later, beating the offside trap and pouncing on Alvarado’s parry to tap in the rebound.

AZ regained the lead after half-time when Elm sent goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Verbeek’s men, who take on Ajax in Eredivisie on Sunday, will meet third tier side GVVV in the quarter-finals.