1 hour Ago
There was good news for AZ before kickoff, with midfielder Kees Smit back in the fold after sitting out the previous two league fixtures through a minor injury. The Alkmaar side arrived in England still unbeaten domestically in the Eredivisie this season. For Sunderland, though, the occasion carried extra significance - it was their first taste of European football in 53 years.
Early Chances Go Begging at Both Ends
AZ nearly grabbed an early lead in just the seventh minute. A costly mistake by Le Fee while trying to play out from the back handed possession to Smit, who slipped the ball through to Ro-Zangelo Daal. His effort looked destined for goal but was deflected wide by Sunderland's Dutch shot-stopper, Robin Roefs.
Sunderland responded quickly. Ten minutes later, Le Fee found a pocket of space inside the box and forced AZ goalkeeper Jari De Busser into action. Moments later, De Busser produced an even better save, tipping over a rasping long-range strike from centre-back Kevin Danso.
The hosts came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute. Wilson Isidor wriggled free of his marker and squared the ball to Le Fee, whose first-time finish cannoned off the post rather than nestling in the net.
AZ had their own near-miss shortly after the break. In the 51st minute, Smit spun away from his defender inside the area and dragged a shot goalward, but it drifted just wide of the target.
A Costly Mistake Decides the Contest
The game's turning point arrived through misfortune rather than magic. AZ substitute Wesley Patati endured a torrid sixty seconds, losing possession dangerously near the edge of Sunderland's box when a simple pass to Jordy Clasie was on. Scrambling to atone for his error, Patati raced back and ended up conceding a penalty for a foul inside the area.
Up stepped Le Fee, who had actually missed from the spot in last weekend's Premier League clash. This time, though, he made no mistake, slotting home to hand Sunderland the lead and, as it turned out, the winning goal.
AZ Push Hard But Can't Find an Equaliser
Sensing the game slipping away, Echtold's side upped the pressure and created two clear openings in the 81st minute. Valdermar Byakov saw his shot blocked inside the box, with the loose ball falling to Mexx Meerdink, who turned smartly to create an opening of his own. His attempt, though, was kept out by Roefs.
Sunderland nearly wrapped things up in stoppage time, but AZ's defenders refused to give in. Former Ajax man Brian Brobbey burst forward and, rather than shooting himself, opted to pass. Elijah Dijkstra threw his body in the way to block it, and the ball fell to Nilson Angulo, whose follow-up effort was also charged down by the AZ backline. Brobbey then had one final crack at it, but Hugo Chavez slid in at the crucial moment to deny him.
In the end, that single Le Fee penalty proved enough to separate the two sides on a historic night for Sunderland's European return.
