‘Everything on the KNVB cup’ at AZ: ‘This is the chance to polish up the season’ | OneFootball

“Everything on the cup!” Goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro knows what it takes to give the slowly fading season of cup finalists AZ Alkmaar some shine again.

“In the league, we have dropped points in recent weeks. This is the chance to win a prize after all.”

Teammate Ruben van Bommel agrees. He does not want to speak of a disappointing season, even if defeat comes in the KNVB Cup final at the hands of Go Ahead Eagles.

“Look at what we have done in Europe, we have played some incredible matches. But this is indeed the moment to polish up the season.”

Owusu-Oduro played an important part in reaching the cup final, saving two penalties in the shootout against Heracles in the semi-finals to book their place at De Kuip on Easter Monday. That said, he, himself, has not wanted to exaggerate his role so far. “It is not necessarily because of me. We are one team, it was a team effort.”

As a ‘child of the club’, who went through the youth academy at AZ, he is proud to be playing in the final. “Yes, that’s great. The fact that many young boys who were trained here are playing, says something about our youth academy.”

For Van Bommel, the cup final has an extra special touch. His father Mark van Bommel won the cup with PSV in the 2004-05 season, beating Willem II.

Grandfather Bert van Marwijk, who as a player also had a past at Go Ahead Eagles, conquered the ‘pinecone’ in the 197-78 season by winning with AZ in the final against Ajax. Henk van Rijnsoever scored the only goal after an assist from Van Marwijk,

Although Ruben van Bommel, obviously, wasn’t born yet, he knows the stories. “Of course, we talk about it, about their cup finals, it’s in the family.”

The fact that grandpa Bert has said in the media that he would cheer for him, brings a smile to Van Bommel’s face. “That’s nice to hear.”

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield