Sunderland won their first match in European competition since 1973 on Wednesday night, beating AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the Stadium of Light through an Enzo Le Fee penalty. Both of the Frenchman's goals this season have now come from the spot.
You have to go back to a second-round exit against Sporting in the 1973-74 Cup Winners' Cup for the last time this club played in a major European competition. For almost everyone in the ground, this was a first.
The first half belonged to Sunderland
It nearly started badly. Kees Smit put Ro-Zangelo Daal clean through after Sunderland made a mess of playing out from the back, and Robin Roefs saved. From that moment the home side took over.
Kevin Danso forced a save with a swerving shot. Wilson Isidor turned brilliantly and crossed for Le Fee, whose side-footed effort came back off the post. AZ arrived unbeaten and looked nothing like it for 45 minutes.
Then AZ woke up
Half-time came at exactly the right moment for the Dutch side. They restarted with real purpose, and the passing that Sunderland's press had been squashing suddenly started to flow. Smit should have scored after some lovely footwork in the box, but dragged his left-footed shot wide.
AZ were on top when Noah Sadiki broke forward on the counter and slipped the ball to Le Fee, who was brought down by substitute Weslley Patati. Le Fee took his time and rolled the penalty into the bottom corner on 66 minutes.
The last ten minutes were uncomfortable. Valdemar Byskov had two efforts blocked in a scramble, Roefs denied Mexx Meerdink, and Patati fired a good chance over with five minutes left. Sunderland should have settled it late, too. Nilson Angulo will be wondering how he missed from five yards after Brian Brobbey's driving run.
Le Fee was the difference
Roefs made the important saves, Granit Xhaka ran the game from deep, and Trai Hume spent the night alternating between overlapping winger and crunching tackler. But the match turned on Le Fee.
He worked without the ball and kept nicking it back, and in the final third he was the whole of Sunderland's threat. His goal came from the spot only because he was bundled over when about to finish from open play.
"It's a bit crazy to be honest," Hume told TNT Sports. "If you had asked me five years ago would we be here, I would have said no."
Head coach Regis Le Bris said his players looked a little exhausted after hosting Arsenal a few days earlier but played with heart. When the whistle went, the ground sang Can't Help Falling in Love. Nobody was worrying about how the goal had been scored.
Source: BBC Sport
0 Comments