Sunderland have achieved a remarkable feat, securing their first European win in 53 years with a 1-0 triumph over AZ at the Stadium of Light. Enzo Le Fe netted the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the second half.
Robby Ruffs played a pivotal role in the victory, making several outstanding saves, while Kevin Danso, Nordi Mukiele, and Dan Ballard were also crucial in thwarting AZ's attempts to equalise.
Post-match, Le Bri expressed his satisfaction with how his players handled the pressure of an unusual challenge:
We took to the pitch to win, and it doesn't matter how you achieve that. I think in the first half we deserved to score. It's a shame we didn't convert during such a strong period.
AZ are good at transitioning, they're truly a strong side. It wasn't easy for us to maintain possession. But the first half was good — we dominated and executed our game plan well.
We feel the quality and character of this team. Everything is built on such challenges. This match was tough, but the Premier League demands a lot, too.
We have a challenging week ahead, but this is exactly what we wanted.
