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Sunderland’s captain, Granit Xhaka, believes it is not unrealistic to dream about Régis Le Bris’s side travelling all the way to next spring’s Europa League final.
It is rarely a good idea to dismiss Xhaka but reaching that showpiece in Frankfurt will necessitate considerably more efficient finishing on his team’s part than proved evident on a highly evocative night on Wearside.
Thanks to a second-half penalty from the indefatigable Enzo Le Fée –appropriately the game’s outstanding player – it ended happily as Sunderland launched their big return to Europe with a morale-boosting win. Along the way, though, they missed far too many chances for Le Bris’ liking.
Sunderland’s European comeback was sandwiched between last Saturday’s home Premier League defeat to Arsenal and this weekend’s trip to Manchester City. The latter assignment surely informed Le Bris’ decision to indulge in a little light rotation and leave Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard and Thomas Meunier resting their legs on the home bench at kick-off.
Occupants of the VIP seats included Jimmy Montgomery, the now 82-year-old hero of Sunderland’s 1973 FA Cup triumph against Leeds and their goalkeeper during that last, albeit fairly short lived, European adventure in the Cup Winners’ Cup 53 years ago.
Down on the pitch, Malick Fofana, the winger signed from Lyon for £30m on transfer deadline day, made his first start following a spine-tingling, ear-splitting, preamble to kick-off featuring a giant tifo of a sailing ship floating above the message: “New shores to conquer”.
Not that AZ were inclined to surrender lightly. Leeroy Echteld’s team arrived having enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season, winning five and drawing one of their opening Eredivisie games. Indeed they would have assumed a very early lead on Wearside had Sunderland’s Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs not extended a boot and kept out Ro-Zangelo Daal’s low shot. The moment had arrived for Le Fée to raise the home tone and his half-volley duly tested Jari De Busser before Wilson Isidor failed to make contact with Le Fée’s inviting delivery from the rebound.
Though De Busser was swiftly forced to push Kevin Danso’s fine shot over the bar, Sunderland nearly came undone on the counter-attack and it took on excellent interception on Trai Hume’s part to halt Ayoub Oufkir in his tracks.
Oufkir and the talented visiting No 10, Kees Smit, issued timely reminders that AZ are more than merely deft in possession but Le Bris’ starting XI was hardly shabby either and, after Isidor conjured a glorious chance, Le Fée’s shot hit the post.
It was not long before another shot, from Hume this time, whizzed fractionally wide of an upright. It is worth remembering that when Hume joined Sunderland, back in January 2022, they were in League One.
Back in the present Le Bris’ team ended the first half thoroughly dominant but unable to convert a litany of chances. Oufkir, meanwhile, was a little fortunate to have collected only a yellow card after sliding in recklessly on Le Fée. Echteld withdrew Oufkir at the interval, replacing him with Weslley Patati.
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AZ re-emerged for the new half apparently invigorated and it was easy to see why Smit has collected admirers at some of Europe’s biggest clubs. After watching him turning Sunderland’s defence inside out before curling a shot inches wide with Roefs stranded, Le Bris took the precaution of replacing the already booked Omar Alderete with Ballard.
The hosts almost took the lead when Le Fée’s stellar pass picked out Isidor but the centre-forward could not quite polish it off. When Hume subsequently missed a presentable chance it felt like De Busser’s goal must be protected by some sort of magnetic forcefield.
Then Patati fouled Le Fée in the area as he shaped to shoot and the Frenchman stepped up to the spot. Having seen his penalty against Arsenal saved expertly by David Raya, Le Fée looked a little nervous but sent De Busser the wrong way as he struck a textbook kick low into the bottom corner.
With Brobbey by now liberated from the bench, Sunderland briefly pushed for a second goal and Nordi Mukiele went close with a header following Xhaka’s corner.
Not that AZ were quite out of it. With Smit withdrawn, the talented Daal came to the fore and his tight close control and ability to run with the ball perhaps prompted a change of home tactic as Le Bris’ players sat back and defended their lead. It made the final 10 minutes extremely nervy inside the Stadium of Light but Le Fée and co had done just enough to launch their European galleon.
