AZ Alkmaar v West Ham: How to watch Europa Conference League semi-final, TV Channel, Live Stream details, Kick-Off time

West Ham United are aiming to reach their first European final in 47 years when they play their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

The Hammers head to the AFAS Stadium with a 2-1 lead after Said Benrahma’s penalty and Michail Antonio’s strike overturned Tijjani Reijnders’ long-range opener.

David Moyes’ side are in a European semi-final for a consecutive campaign after bowing out to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt with a 3-1 aggregate defeat in the Europa League semi-finals last year.

The Europa Conference League final takes place at the Fortuna Arena in Prague on June 7.

Here is all you need to know ahead of what could be a history-defining match for Moyes’ men in Alkmaar…

When is AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United?

The second leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final between AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United kicks off at 20:00 UK time on Thursday, May 18.

Which TV channel is AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United?

How to watch a live stream of AZ Alkmaar v West United?

How to follow AZ Alkmaar v West United via live updates?

Happy Hammers to end season on a high?

It’s no secret that West Ham have endured a largely dismal season in the Premier League, with European football providing a much-needed reprieve from their domestic tribulations.

The Hammers are the only unbeaten team in this season’s Europa Conference League, remaining undefeated in all 13 of their matches.

This included a 100 per cent record after six group stage games, as Anderlecht, Silkeborg and FCSB were all dispatched both home and away.

A comprehensive 6-0 aggregate defeat of Cypriots AEK Larnaca followed in the last 16, before Belgian side Gent were beaten 5-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

The significance of reaching the competition’s showpiece final is not lost on Moyes, who explained that reaching Prague would rank alongside anything else achieved in his managerial career.

Speaking ahead of the first leg at the London Stadium, he said: “I want to try and take it a couple of steps further, and I would refer back to the serial winner José Mourinho – who found winning this trophy so special for him and his football club. If ever I needed somebody to show how hard it was to win a trophy, and he treated it as if it was so important.”

With European qualification via their league position moving out of reach long ago, victory in this competition is West Ham’s only route to competing on the continent again next season.

The Europa Conference League winners gain automatic qualification for the Europa League group stage in the following campaign.

However, victory for the East Londoners is far from a foregone conclusion with AZ winning all eight of their home games in this season’s competition.

Pascal Jensen’s side have also had a long wait to reach a European final, not quite as long as West Ham though, waiting 42 years since their last shot at continental glory.

Whatever happens, at least one lengthy wait will be ended very soon.