Sunderland secured a vital 2-1 victory away to Torreense in the Europa League on Thursday night, coming from behind with a dramatic late winner. The result gives Régis Le Bris's side a perfect six points from their opening two matches in the competition's league phase.
Noah Sadiki was the hero, firing home in the third minute of added time to complete the turnaround after Jules Ahoka had earlier cancelled out Volnei Feltes's opener for the Portuguese side. The win provides a significant morale boost for a Sunderland squad that has found Premier League form hard to come by, where they currently sit 17th with just four points from six games.
Le Bris rings the changes
Facing a packed schedule, Le Bris made seven changes from the side that lost to Brighton last weekend. Robin Roefs started in goal behind a back four of Trai Hume, Luke O'Nien, Omar Alderete and Dayann Méthalie. The midfield saw Jules Ahoka and Noah Sadiki paired in the double pivot, with Chris Rigg operating ahead of them. Malick Fofana and Nilson Angulo provided width, supporting lone striker Tymur Tutierov.
Key absentees included top scorer Brian Brobbey, who has three league goals this season, alongside Dan Ballard and Habib Diallo, all sidelined with hamstring injuries. Romain Mundle remains out with a long-term knee issue.
How the tie turned
Torreense, who play in Portugal's second tier, took a deserved lead in the 37th minute when defender Volnei Feltes headed home from an Amine Oudrhiri cross. Sunderland struggled to create clear chances for much of the contest but found an equaliser against the run of play in the 67th minute. Ahoka finished smartly after being played in by Nordi Mukiele, who had come off the bench.
The game looked to be heading for a draw until the final moments. In the 93rd minute, a clever pass from Granit Xhaka, another substitute, found Sadiki on the edge of the box, and the Belgian midfielder drilled a low shot into the corner to spark wild celebrations from the travelling support.
This result follows Sunderland's opening 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar, where Enzo Le Fée scored the decisive penalty. "Enzo Le Fée scored the match-winning penalty against AZ Alkmaar and will be looking to deliver another top performance," the midfielder had said ahead of the match.
The focus now shifts swiftly back to domestic concerns and a key Premier League fixtures clash against 18th-placed Bournemouth on Sunday. With both teams struggling near the foot of the standings, it represents a major opportunity for Sunderland to climb the table.
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