FC Ararat-Armenia welcome AZ Alkmaar to the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan on Thursday for matchday three of the UEFA Europa League league phase.

Ararat-Armenia arrived in Europe's second-tier competition as reigning Armenian Premier League champions and the first Armenian club ever to reach a league phase, while AZ Alkmaar return to continental competition having won last season's Dutch Cup under Leeroy Echteld.

Match preview

Manuel Tulipa's side sit 34th of 36 teams in the Europa League table with zero points from two matches, and only struggling Lech Poznan have conceded more goals in the league phase than their seven.

The campaign opened with a 1-4 home defeat to Sparta Prague on September 16, with Bruno Wilson's goal the lone reply in a result that extended Ararat-Armenia's winless run against the Czech club to three meetings.

Matchday two brought a 3-1 defeat away to Jagiellonia Bialystok on October 15, with Kamil Jozwiak's 13th-minute opener and further goals from Rodrigo Conceicao and Osman Sow cancelling out Zidane Banjaqui's 11th-minute leveller, which Maxence Carlier set up with a cross from the right.

Domestically the picture is far brighter, with Ararat-Armenia second in the Armenian Premier League on 23 points, five points behind leaders Noah after a 1-0 win at BKMA Yerevan last weekend.

Tulipa delivered the club's third Armenian title plus the historic Europa League qualification last season and was named the division's Manager of the Season for his efforts.

34-year-old forward Sandro Lima and Armen Ambartsumyan, the club's record European appearance maker with 22 caps in continental competition, give Tulipa a core of experience to call on against stiffer opposition.

AZ Alkmaar sit 20th in the Europa League standings with three points from two matches, a position built on a 2-1 home win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva on October 15.

Peer Koopmeiners put AZ Alkmaar ahead shortly after half time against the Israeli side, Forson Amankwah equalised six minutes later, and Mexx Meerdink settled the contest from the penalty spot.

That result followed a 0-1 opening defeat away to Sunderland on matchday one, a reminder that Echteld's side can still be undone on the road in this competition.

This is the first continental meeting between the two clubs, though AZ Alkmaar have already faced Armenian opposition this season, beating FC Noah 4-1 on aggregate in last season's Conference League play-off and Sparta Prague 6-1 on aggregate in the last 16.

In the Eredivisie, AZ Alkmaar sat second with 20 points from nine matches before a difficult week, losing 0-2 away to Feyenoord on October 10 and then needing a second-half fightback to draw 2-2 at SC Cambuur last weekend.

Cambuur led twice through Nicolas Binder and Ilyes Hamache, Ro-Zangelo Daal equalised in the 26th minute, and Meerdink's 83rd-minute penalty rescued a point even after Cambuur were reduced to 10 men following Daniel Bouah's 53rd-minute red card.

Ararat-Armenia Europa League form:

Ararat-Armenia form (all competitions):

AZ Alkmaar Europa League form:

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):

Team News

Ararat-Armenia have reported no fresh injury or suspension concerns for the visit of AZ Alkmaar, continuing a clean bill of health that has run through their opening two league-phase matches.

Tulipa has kept faith with largely the same group through the Sparta Prague and Jagiellonia defeats, with Bruno Wilson again expected to marshal the back line alongside Luis Felipe.

Banjaqui's goal in Bialystok arrived on the counter-attack, a sign Tulipa wants wide pace to test AZ Alkmaar's back line in transition rather than meet them front on.

For the visitors, Meerdink did not start against Hapoel Be'er Sheva after fitness concerns, but came off the bench in the 76th minute, and his penalty at Cambuur confirmed he is back to full match sharpness.

Echteld has no fresh fitness concerns to report beyond the usual rotation calls that come with a fourth fixture in 11 days, having already used the Europa League to manage minutes for regulars such as Jordy Clasie and Calvin Stengs.

Ararat-Armenia possible starting lineup:

Bravim; Oliveira, Luis Felipe, Wilson, Grigoryan; Carlier, Balanta, Tera; Serobyan, Banjaqui, Lima

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Chavez, Goes, Hoedt, Maikuma; Clasie, Koopmeiners; Byskov, Stengs, Daal; Meerdink

We say: Ararat-Armenia 1-3 AZ Alkmaar

  Ararat-Armenia have conceded seven goals in two league-phase matches and face an AZ Alkmaar side that put a combined 10 goals past FC Noah and Sparta Prague, two sides also in this season's Europa League, across two aggregate wins last term.

That recent history offers a blunt measure of the gap in European pedigree between the two sides heading into Thursday's match.

Expect Ararat-Armenia to find a goal of their own through Banjaqui or Lima, but not enough to prevent AZ Alkmaar's first away win of the league phase.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.