Sunderland 1-0 AZ Alkmaar: Enzo Le Fee penalty sees Black Cats win Europa League opener
Report as Sunderland beat AZ Alkmaar in their opening Europa League clash; Enzo Le Fee's second-half penalty was the difference between the two sides in what was the Black Cats' first European appearance in 53 years
Wednesday 16 September 2026 22:42, UK
Enzo Le Fee's penalty ensured Sunderland kicked off their Europa League adventure with a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light.
Wednesday's match was the Black Cats' first taste of European football in 53 years and they put in a dominant first-half display before being put under pressure after the restart when Kees Smit fired narrowly wide.
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Le Fee then sent Sunderland ahead from the spot in the 66th minute to seal victory in their maiden Europa League outing. They return to European action next month away to Torreense.
Regis Le Bris made four changes from Saturday's defeat to Arsenal as Omar Alderete, Trai Hume, Malick Fofana and Wilson Isidor all started and Alkmaar made two switches from their last Eredivisie match with Smit and Ayoub Oufkir lining up.
The key moments from the Stadium of Light
7: SAVE! Big stop by Roefs with his legs to prevent an early AZ opener.
13: CLOSE! Le Fee's well-struck volley tests De Busser, with Isidor inches away from touching home the rebound.
15: WHAT A SAVE! Danso's curling effort from distance is turned behind by De Busser at full stretch.
25: POST! Le Fee curls an effort against the right-hand post with De Busser nowhere.
50: SO CLOSE! Smit does so well to evade his marker with a gorgeous turn, only to drill a low shot inches past the far post.
66: GOAL! Le Fee keeps his cool from the spot to send De Busser the wrong way after being tripped from behind in the box.
81: WHAT A SAVE! Roefs makes a trio of extraordinary close-range blocks, the last from a bewildered Meerdink.
86: BIG CHANCE! Pinto Batista blazes over from six yards out with the goal gaping after being set up by Hornkamp's gorgeous back heel.
90: WHAT A MISS! Brobbey lays the ball across the six-yard box, only for Angulo's close-range effort to be cleared off the line, before the striker sees his effort deflected behind for a corner.
