AZ Alkmaar midfielder Willy Overtoom is targeting his second successive KNVB Beker Cup final with his new club but knows a tough semi-final against Ajax awaits.
Overtoom left last year's runners-up Heracles Almelo in January to join AZ on a three-and-a-half year deal and is hoping for another good cup run.
PSV Eindhoven won last year's final 3-0 at De Kuip, and the defending champions will do battle with PEC Zwolle in the other semi-final on Wednesday.
However, for Overtoom, a win over Ajax is the first hurdle his side need to overcome before he can bid to take revenge on PSV for last year's result.
The 26-year-old Cameroon international believes AZ could have the edge due to Ajax's involvement in the Europa League, where they were defeated on penalties by Steaua Bucharest last week in their round of 32 tie.
"I think we (have the edge on) Ajax mainly on the physical part down to our strengths," Overtoom told AZ's official website.
"In this regard, we have that in our favour. They have had the gruelling games against Steaua Bucharest and (Sunday's 1-1 draw with) ADO Den Haag in their legs."
Overtoom does not see AZ as the underdogs for the clash, which will take place on Wednesday night in Amsterdam.
"Last season we did not think that way at Heracles when we had to go to AZ in the semi-final. Why can we not go to the ArenA and win?
"AZ have been doing well for years in Amsterdam."
A place in the Europa League awaits the winners of the cup, and PSV coach Dick Advocaat is refusing to take Zwolle lightly in their semi-final, even though they are struggling in the Eredivisie and are just one point above the bottom three.
PSV, who lead Ajax at the top of the league standings by two points, were beaten 3-1 at home by PEC on January 18 and only won their previous match against them 2-1 thanks to a Joey Van der Berg own goal.
"We've already had two tough matches against PEC," Advocaat told psv.nl.
"For them, this is the chance to play European football and a cup final pick. It will be very difficult."


 




