With Spurs’ chances of domestic silverware over for at least one more year, they were eager to stamp out the certainty of another trophyless season overall.
And despite a somewhat cagey start, Ange Postecoglou’s men eased the tension around the stadium in the 26th minute, when Son Heung-min dispossessed Wouter Goes outside the Alkmaar box.
Dominic Solanke latched onto the loose ball, and squared into the danger area for Wilson Odobert to fire in.
Now level in the tie, Spurs were visibly buoyed and came close to netting a second before half-time, as Son collected the ball near the halfway line and drove into the heart of the AZ defence, before curling an effort goalwards.
Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro got down low to save on that occasion and preserve aggregate parity up to HT.
However, Spurs would double their lead within three minutes of the restart, when Pape Matar Sarr drove up the pitch before picking out Son, who laid off to James Maddison to slot his finish past the AZ stopper.
Now trailing on aggregate for the very first time, the Dutch side duly woke up and found a way back into the contest, when Lucas Bergvall and Sarr were involved in a mixup at the back, which allowed Peer Koopmeiners to capitalise and power the ball past Guglielmo Vicario.
That fightback from De Kaaskoppen didn’t last long however, as Spurs restored their aggregate lead on 74 minutes.
Son was once again involved, as he released Djed Spence down the left, and the full-back’s cross was flicked to the back post by Solanke where Odobert was on hand to tap in his second of the night.
Troy Parrott almost capped a dream return back to his boyhood club as he was sent through on goal, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Vicario, with Mees de Wit’s rebound cleared off the line.
In the end, Postecoglou’s side coasted through the final moments to confirm passage to the last eight.
AZ ultimately couldn’t capitalise after pulling a goal back, and have now lost all 10 of their away European matches in England.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)