Sunderland secured a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar in their Europa League return, with Enzo Le Fée converting a second-half penalty. The win marked a positive start to their European campaign, despite manager Régis Le Bris noting missed opportunities.
Captain Granit Xhaka expressed his belief that reaching next spring's Europa League final in Frankfurt is not an unrealistic dream for the team. However, he suggested that more efficient finishing would be necessary.
The match saw Malick Fofana, a £30m signing from Lyon, make his first start. Sunderland's European comeback followed a Premier League defeat to Arsenal and precedes an upcoming trip to Manchester City, which reportedly influenced Le Bris's decision to rotate players like Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard, and Thomas Meunier.