Sunderland secures victory in Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 17, 2026, 8:39 AM
Last updated Sep 17, 2026

Sunderland won their Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar at The Stadium of Light, aided by a second-half penalty from Enzo Le Fe. Former defender Gary Bennett described the performance as good but highlighted the need for improvement in finishing, noting the team had multiple scoring opportunities. With this win, Sunderland aims to build momentum for their upcoming matches. The team demonstrated solid defensive work and managed to keep a clean sheet, marking a positive start to their European campaign.
- •Sunderland hosts AZ Alkmaar in their Europa League opener.
- •Enzo Le Fe scored the only goal from a penalty.
- •Bennett mentions the team needs to improve finishing.
- •Sunderland kept a clean sheet in the match.
- •Next match is scheduled for Sunday.
- 8:39 AMYahoo Sports — 'A fantastic occasion and the win puts the icing on the cake'
"Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett said Regis Le Bris' side collecting three points in their Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar is "fantastic" but they "need to put their shooting boots on" for future games. "They had chances to score before but it's a learning curve for Sunderland in Europe," Bennett told BBC Radio Newcastle post-match.
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