Enzo Le Fée penalty secures Sunderland win over AZ at Stadium of Light
Sunderland beat AZ at the Stadium of Light in their Europa League return on 16 September 2026 after Enzo Le Fée converted a second-half penalty. The French midfielder’s spot-kick settled a match in which Sunderland created numerous opportunities but required a single decisive moment to break a tense finish.
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka said it is not unrealistic to dream about Régis Le Bris’s side travelling all the way to next spring’s Europa League final, while Le Bris flagged the team needed to be more efficient in front of goal. The victory followed last Saturday’s home Premier League defeat to Arsenal and preceded a scheduled trip to Manchester City this weekend, a sequence that informed Le Bris’s light rotation which left Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard and Thomas Meunier on the bench at kick-off. Jimmy Montgomery, the 82-year-old goalkeeper from Sunderland’s 1973 FA Cup-winning side, was among the VIPs in attendance. Malick Fofana, signed from Lyon for £30m on transfer deadline day, made his first start amid a pre-match tifo reading "New shores to conquer".
AZ threatened early and could have taken the lead inside minutes had Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs not extended a boot to deny Ro-Zangelo Daal’s low effort. Le Fée’s first-half half-volley tested Jari De Busser and a rebound delivery from Le Fée went begging when Wilson Isidor failed to connect. Kevin Danso saw a shot pushed over by De Busser and Trai Hume made a vital interception to halt Ayoub Oufkir on a counter-attack as Sunderland dominated possession without converting several clear openings.
Sunderland’s dominance continued but they were profligate; Le Fée struck the post and Hume fired narrowly wide before the break. Oufkir collected just a yellow card after a reckless slide on Le Fée, and AZ replaced Oufkir at half-time with Weslley Patati. Leeroy Echteld’s visitors reappeared with renewed threat, Kees Smit tested Roefs with a curled attempt and, after Smit’s influence, Le Bris substituted the already-booked Omar Alderete for Dan Ballard as a precaution.
Early in the second half Le Fée laid on a pass for Isidor that the striker could not finish and Hume missed a presentable chance, prolonging the sense that De Busser’s goal was under siege. Patati then fouled Le Fée in the area as the Frenchman shaped to shoot; having seen his previous penalty against Arsenal saved by David Raya, Le Fée sent De Busser the wrong way with a low kick into the bottom corner to give Sunderland the lead.
With Brian Brobbey introduced from the bench, Sunderland briefly sought a second goal and Nordi Mukiele went close with a header from Xhaka’s corner. AZ remained dangerous after Daal’s introduction and his close control prompted Sunderland to sit deeper, producing a nervy final 10 minutes inside the Stadium of Light despite Sunderland holding on. The match report described Le Fée as the game’s outstanding player.
Across other Europa League ties reported, Marco Silva’s Benfica beat Ruben Amorim’s Milan 2-0 with goals from Dodi Lukebakio and Jakub Kaminski; Bayer Leverkusen won 2-0 against Celje; Lyon defeated Anderlecht 2-1; Omonia Nicosia beat Celta Vigo 1-0; Jagiellonia Bialystok were denied a point at Olympiacos by Roman Yaremchuk’s late winner; Sparta Prague defeated Ararat-Armenia 4-1; and both Sturm Graz v Rennes and Hapoel Be’er Sheva v Dinamo Zagreb finished goalless.
Sunderland’s victory launches their Europa League campaign and they will travel to Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.