Sunderland earned a hard-fought Premier League point in a 1-1 draw away to Brentford on Saturday, September 5th. Enzo Le Fée's 82nd-minute penalty cancelled out Vitaly Janelt's second-half opener in a match where both sides had goals disallowed by VAR.
Regis Le Bris's side now sit 11th in the Premier League with four points from their opening three matches. The Black Cats have scored three goals and conceded three so far this season.
Brentford took the lead early in the second half when Janelt drilled a loose ball into the top corner. Sunderland had created the better chances before that, with Dan Ballard having an early goal ruled out for offside and Le Fée striking the post.'s match report, the visitors finished with a higher expected goals (xG) figure of 1.94 to Brentford's 1.25.
The equaliser came from the penalty spot late on. Referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot after a foul on substitute Stipe Isidor, and Le Fée sent goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way. Brentford thought they had scored a second when Jaidon Anthony capitalised on a defensive mix-up, but he was adjudged to have fouled Sunderland keeper Noah Roefs.
Brentford boss Keith Andrews told reporters of the Day his team caused themselves problems. "We were better in the second half," Andrews said. "We started fighting more, did the ugly side of the game and played with a bit more conviction."
On the penalty decision against his side, Andrews added, "I need to be a bit careful. Overall I didn't love the decisions today." The draw means Brentford remain unbeaten this season, while Sunderland picked up their first away point.
Deadline-day loan signing Kevin Danso played the full 90 minutes in defence for Sunderland. The Tottenham loanee, speaking to the club's official website, said he was delighted to make his debut in the draw. Danso was part of a back five that limited Brentford's clear opportunities despite conceding once.
His arrival adds depth to a Sunderland squad that currently has a neutral goal difference. Fans can view the full squad list on our dedicated squad page. The Austrian's performance provided a positive note on an afternoon where the team showed resilience to come from behind.
Sunderland were among several clubs showing interest in RC Lens defender Matthieu Udol. The outlet, citing Foot Mercato, stated that Lens fended off significant interest in the 30-year-old left-back during the transfer window.
Aston Villa and AC Milan were also reportedly keen on the Frenchman, who was a key part of Lens's successful previous campaign. However, the Ligue 1 club blocked any departure for the experienced full-back, meaning Sunderland's interest did not lead to a formal bid or signing.
The single point at the Gtech Community Stadium leaves Sunderland in the middle of the Premier League table. They have one win, one draw, and one loss from their first three fixtures, a sequence that reads draw, win, loss in their recent form.
They currently trail early leaders Manchester City by five points in the title race. The team's immediate focus shifts to preparing for the visit of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who are just two places above them in the standings. That match kicks off at the Stadium of Light on September 12th.
