Enzo Le Fee’s spot‑kick proved decisive as Sunderland opened their Europa League journey with a 1‑0 triumph against AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light. The Wednesday fixture marked the Black Cats' first foray into European competition in more than half a century, and they made a strong impression by dominating the opening half before weathering a spell of pressure after the interval when Kees Smit struck narrowly wide of the target. The breakthrough came in the 66th minute when Le Fee calmly converted a penalty, securing the win in Sunderland’s inaugural Europa League appearance.
The club will travel to Portugal next month for their next European assignment, facing Torreense on foreign soil. Manager Regis Le Bris made four alterations to the lineup that had suffered a defeat to Arsenal on Saturday. New starters Omar Alderete, Trai Hume, Malick Fofana and Wilson Isidor all took the field, while AZ introduced two changes from their previous Eredivisie outing, with Smit and Ayoub Oufkir added to the starting eleven.
Key moments of the match were recorded as follows: 7 minutes – A spectacular save from AZ goalkeeper Roefs, who used his legs to block an early chance and keep the score level. 13 minutes – Le Fee unleashed a powerful volley that tested Sunderland keeper De Busser, and Wilson Isidor was inches away from nudging the rebound into the net. 15 minutes – A curling long‑range effort from Danso was denied as De Busser stretched fully to parry the ball away. 25 minutes – Le Fee curled a shot that struck the right‑hand post, with De Busser unable to intervene.
50 minutes – Smit evaded his marker with a graceful turn and fired a low strike that whizzed just past the far post. 66 minutes – The decisive penalty: after being brought down in the box, Le Fee kept his composure, placed the ball beyond De Busser’s reach and gave Sunderland the lead. 81 minutes – Roefs produced a trio of close‑range blocks, the final one denying a bewildered Meerdink.
86 minutes – Pinto Batista blasted over from six yards after Hornkamp supplied a dazzling back‑heel pass. 90 minutes – A chaotic finish saw Brobbey cross into the six‑yard area, Angulo’s close‑range attempt cleared off the line, and the striker’s follow‑up was deflected for a corner. After the final whistle, Le Bris praised his side’s performance: “They are a good team, I think we started well. In the first half we imposed our ideas.
They were mobile, especially in the high press, but we applied our own press gradually, creating chances – crosses, shots, second balls and so on. We didn’t score in the first half, but we found the net in the second and the game opened up from there. They created chances because they are really good on the ball. They played with freedom, took more risks and we had our chances in the second half.
In the end it’s three points.” He continued, reflecting on the significance of the win: “It’s important we showed up to win. It was an important night for us, for the club, for the fans and in the end it’s a good win. It’s a good night so it’s hard to rank.
I will say the game against Coventry two years ago was really good, the comeback against Newcastle in the derby was memorable – this one is equally special.” Le Bris also singled out Le Fee’s character: “I trust him; he’s a good player. You can make mistakes because it’s the game. If you step up you can succeed, you can fail, it’s possible, but the quality of a player is to react, stay resilient, and show up again – Enzo is that kind of player. He’s a great player.
Even if he struggled a bit at the beginning, it shows you are always on the edge. When he’s in a good place – and I think he is, though he still has room for improvement – he’s fantastic. He can link play, create, score, and defend well with the squad.” AZ Alkmaar’s manager Leeroy Echteld offered his perspective: “For us, it’s a very good experience to play in these circumstances.
I’m also very happy with my team because they were not so impressed at the end. We have very young players, but they can compete against a mature side like Sunderland with good players and the support of the crowd. It makes me proud that we showed we can play. If we hadn’t conceded the penalty we would have had a big chance to win this game.” The match not only marked a historic return to European football for Sunderland but also highlighted the tactical battle between two managers eager to test their squads on a new stage.
Sunderland’s disciplined defensive shape, combined with Le Fee’s composure from the spot, proved enough to secure the three points, while AZ demonstrated flashes of quality that suggest they will be a tough opponent in future rounds. Looking ahead, Sunderland will travel to Portugal to face Torreense, a fixture that will test their ability to adapt to different conditions and maintain the momentum generated by this opening victory. For the fans, the night at the Stadium of Light will be remembered as a milestone – the first European win in 53 years – and a sign that the club’s ambitions are back on the continental map. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million!
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