AZ hammer Den Haag

AZ Alkmaar moved level on points with Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven following an emphatic 6-0 victory away to ADO Den Haag.

Benschop bags hat-trick and Altidore scores late brace

AZ Alkmaar moved level on points with Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven following an emphatic 6-0 victory away to ADO Den Haag. Charlison Benschop scored a hat-trick, Jozy Altidore netted a brace and Maarten Martens also got in on the act in a devastating display by AZ. The game had been postponed from Saturday because of a frozen pitch and another pitch inspection was needed 90 minutes before kick-off before the game could go ahead. The visitors went ahead in the 33rd minute when Brett Holman crossed the ball from the left and Benschop got to it ahead of defender Gabor Horvath to score. They doubled their advantage two minutes into the second half as Martens took advantage of poor defending to set up Benschop, who picked out the left corner from just inside the area. The hosts briefly threatened to grab a lifeline, but AZ goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado tipped away Tjaronn Chery's shot. Instead Benschop completed his hat-trick and put the game to bed in the 69th minute as he ran on to Rasmus Elm's pass and fired home. AZ scored again four minutes later as Johann Berg Gudmundsson's through-ball this time split the defence and Martens chipped keeper Gino Coutinho as he came off his line. Substitute Altidore added a fifth in the 85th minute, converting Holman's pass, and the American completed the rout two minutes from time, following up to score after Coutinho failed to hold Martens' shot.