Troy Parrott's brilliant brace fires AZ to first-leg victory over Sparta Prague

AZ Alkmaar 2

Sparta Prague 1

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND striker Troy Parrott fired a brilliant brace as AZ Alkmaar overcame Sparta Prague 2-1 in their Uefa Conference League last-16 first leg at Afas Stadium.

Parrott, who has now netted 31 goals in 42 appearances for club and country this season, opened the scoring with a sublime left-footed finish just shy of the half-hour mark: the 24-year-old collected a pass from Ro-Zangelo Daal on the left-hand side of the Sparta penalty area before fashioning a half-yard to rifle past Jakub Surovcik at his near post, into the top corner.

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AZ, sixth in the Eredivisie table, were the dominant side throughout this home leg, but their Czech visitors found themselves level shortly after half-time when a scuffed effort by Scotland international Andy Irving was turned home by January signing Matyas Vojta.

The hosts piled on the pressure thereafter and, after several near misses, they breached the Sparta rearguard once more in the 87th minute.

After an initial swivel and right-footed strike by Parrott was parried away by Surovcik, Daal again turned provider as he teed up the Dubliner for a second bite at the cherry. The left winger’s cross was guided home superbly by Parrott, who met the ball at pace and improvised to volley the ball with his right quad high into the Sparta net.

Parrott’s brace ended a run of four games without a goal for AZ, and took his club tally to 26 in 38 games this season.

AZ will take a 2-1 advantage to the Epet Arena, Prague, next Thursday night, while Parrott will return to the same city a week later for Ireland’s World Cup play-off against Czechia, which will take place at the Fortuna Arena.