AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Norwich City: match report and key moments

Barnes rolled home his fourth of the summer since joining on a free transfer but Ruben van Bommel cancelled out that sixth minute opener with a smart close range finish.

Barnes and Onel Hernandez were both booked in a warm up match that had a real edge to the proceedings in front of a crowd estimated to be around 2,500 at the village ground AZ use for their pre-season build up.

Josh Sargent and Ashley Barnes both started in a strong looking line up for the latest test against a Dutch side who finished in the top four of the Eredivisie last season and reached the last four of the Europa Conference League.

Angus Gunn was in goal again after his seasonal re-appearance against Kaiserlautern in Saturday's goalless draw.

Former AZ loan keeper Tim Krul was on the bench for the Canaries. Shane Duffy and Ben Gibson resumed their central defensive partnership, while Marcelino Nunez was deployed alongside captain Kenny McLean in the centre of the Norwich midfield.

City started brightly with Gibson attacking Nunez’s corner at the near post, but AZ got bodies back to block.

A minute later Barnes showed his awareness when he dropped deeper behind Sargent to spin and release the overlapping Jack Stacey, who picked out Jon Rowe to lash over.

Barnes rolled in the opener in the sixth minute – and his fourth goal of pre-season – after Sargent’s run attracted covering defender Levi Schouten, who could only divert the ball to the unmarked Barnes 12 yards out.

AZ levelled in the 10th minute when Ernest Poku escaped, with Dimi Giannoulis appealing for offside, before veering into the box to roll in Ruben van Bommel, who made no mistake from 16 yards.

Despite the poor concession, Norwich’s defensive shape out of possession again looked organised, with Barnes and Sargent at the head of a 4-4-2 set up.

But Gibson was fortunate to get away with an ill-judged dribble out of his penalty area. City looked far more threatening going forward in the early sparring, compared to Saturday’s goalless affair in Kaiserlautern.

Stacey was the trigger for another flowing counter in the 17th minute that ended with Rowe’s shot parried by Matt Ryan.

Then his latest buccaneering run was attacked by Sargent, before Hernandez sliced his effort wide on the angle of the six yard box.

Duffy needed treatment following a full bloodied sliding block tackle on Vangelis Pavlidis that ended with the defender appearing to catch a boot on his upper body.

Barnes earned a lecture from the referee for protesting too forcefully at the award of a home free kick, after an aggressive team press led by Sargent and Hernandez.

The Cuban then turned provider for Rowe in the 39th minute, who forced a fine one-handed parry from Ryan flying to his right.

Barnes talked himself into the book in the 42nd minute for one verbal too many in the direction of the referee.

David Wagner made two changes at the interval, with Krul replacing Gunn and Andrew Omobamidele replacing Duffy. The Irish centre back sensed a chance to make an immediate impression from Nunez’s deep free kick, but the flight of the ball just evaded the substitute at the far post in the 48th minute.

Hernandez was next into the book alongside Denso Cassius with both grappling at a Nunez corner.

Myro van Brederode curled a 20 yarder wide of Krul’s far post, before Sargent made way for Adam Idah.

AZ continued to up the pace approaching the final quarter and Nunez needed to get his body in the way of Kenzo Goudwijn’s rising strike.

Sven Mijnans slashed a half-volley over on his left peg from 18 yards after latching onto another weak Omobamidele clearing header from a home corner.

Gibson superbly met Goudwijn’s inswinging free kick before Wagner introduced another string of substitutes. The big centre back then offered a threat in the opposition box from Stacey’s break, but his looping header was gathered by Hobie Verhulst underneath his bar.

Idah was adjudged to be wrestling with Goudwijn as he tried to attack Sam McCallum’s deep corner in the final moments.

Our correspondents are out in Holland for the latest leg of Norwich City's pre-season tour in association with Cavell Healthcare.

Match stats

AZ Alkmaar (starting XI): Ryan, Kasius, Schouten, Wolfe, Poku, Clasie, Mihailovic, De Wit, Karlsson, van Bommel, Pavlidis.

Booking: Cassisus (foul on Hernandez, 51)

Goal: Van Bommel (10)

Norwich City: Gunn (Krul 45), Stacey (Fisher 82), Duffy (Omobamidele 45), Gibson, Giannoulis (McCallum 82), Nunez (Gibbs 82), McLean (Springett 82), Rowe (Tzolis 82), Sargent (Idah 62), Hernandez (Placheta 82), Barnes (Mumba 82). Subs: (all used).

Bookings: Barnes (dissent 42); Hernandez (foul on Cassisus, 51)

Goal: Barnes (6)

Key moments

3: 0-0 Marcelino Nunez whips in a corner attacked by Ben Gibson but AZ get bodies back at the near post.

4: 0-0 Ashley Barnes spins and releases Jack Stacey on the overlap but Jon Rowe skies his near post delivery.

6: 0-1 Barnes rolls into an empty net from 12 yards after Josh Sargent chases a long ball and the covering defender, Levi Schouten’s block, sees the ball squirm into Barnes’ path.

10: 1-1 Ruben van Bommel levels from 16 yards with a low strike into the bottom corner after Ernest Poku escapes with Dimi Giannoulis appealing for offside in the left back slot.

17: 1-1 Stacey again on the overlap flies a low cross Giannoulis is unable to get to at the back post. Onel Hernandez recycles for Rowe to test Matt Ryan.

23: 1-1 Stacey another adventurous run and cross attacked by Sargent. Ball spins to Hernandez who slices wide.

27: 1-1 Shane Duffy treated for a blow to his upper body following a full-bloodied sliding challenge on Vangelis Pavlidis.

39: 1-1 Ryan flies to his right to get a strong hand to Rowe’s first time shot on his left, racing to the near post to meet Hernandez’s cutback.

61: 1-1 Myro van Brederode curls a 20 yarder wide of Tim Krul’s far post.

78: 1-1 Ben Gibson’s looping header gather by Hobie Verhulst underneath his bar from Nunez’s corner.