Ajax is out of the Europa League following a 4-3 away defeat to Olympique Marseille and the Amsterdammers must beat AEK Athene, currently third in Group B, on December 14 to move down to the Conference League after the winter break.
The game was 3-3 in the dying stages after substitute Chuba Akpom scored for the Amsterdammers, then down to 10 men after a red card for Steven Bergwijn.
But a penalty in added time put the French ahead, leaving Ajax hoping for a win in two weeks to stay in Europe.
AZ beat HSK Zrinjski 1-0 and still have hope of continuing their Conference League adventure.
Currently in third place, if they beat Legia Warsaw away on December 14, they will move into third place and take part in an intermediate round against clubs sent down from the Europa League.