Alkmaar stand firm to reach semis
 |  Figueroa's goal was not enough to put Villarreal into the UEFA Cup last four |
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ALKMAAR, Netherlands -- AZ Alkmaar held firm to draw 1-1 at home with Villarreal and reach the UEFA Cup semi-finals.
The Dutch side, who went through 3-2 on aggregate and extended their run of European home games without defeat to 19 matches, looked to have killed off the encounter when Kenneth Perez opened the scoring after eight minutes.
But Luciano Figueroa levelled with just 18 minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish.
Both teams were reduced to 10 men after 20 minutes of the first half.
Italian referee Roberto Rosetti showed AZ central defender Barry Opdam a second yellow card and in the ensuing melee Villarreal's Jose Mari was sent off for pushing over and kicking Barry van Galen.
The first big chance of the match fell to Villarreal but Figueroa, set up by Juan Riquelme, missed from close range after seven minutes.
The home side hit back immediately, Danish international Perez firing home into the bottom left-hand corner from just outside the box.
AZ could have spared themselves their nervous finale but the unmarked Tim de Cler fired over when well placed in the first half while Villarreal keeper Reina kept out a fierce shot from Perez.
The visitors, however, grabbed the initiative after the break. They were finally rewarded when Riquelme broke through on the right to set up Figueroa's equaliser.
Minutes later Riquelme sent a free kick crashing against a post.
AZ now play Sporting Lisbon in the two-leged semi-finals.
"In the second half we were pushed back by an excellent Villareal and we were lucky that (Juan Roman) Riquelme's free kick hit the post," said AZ coach Co Adriaanse. "But we have drawn against good opponents so I have to compliment my team."
