Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris has praised his players’ belief and determination after Noah Sadiki struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner to seal a memorable 2-1 victory over SCU Torreense in Portugal.
The Black Cats marked their return to European away action for the first time in 53 years with a hard-fought triumph at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, rewarding more than 5,000 travelling supporters who made the journey to cheer on the team.
Sunderland had to battle back after falling behind to Volnei Feltes’ spectacular first-half strike, but Jules Ahoka restored parity with a second-half header before Sadiki delivered the decisive blow in the dying moments.
The late winner capped an impressive display of persistence from Le Bris’ side, who refused to settle for a draw despite facing a stubborn Torreense team.
Ahoka brought Sunderland level in the 67th minute, scoring his first goal for the club with a well-timed header that reignited the visitors’ hopes of securing victory.
With the contest approaching its conclusion, Sunderland continued to search for a breakthrough. Their efforts finally paid off in stoppage time when Enzo Le Fée and Granit Xhaka combined brilliantly to create the opportunity for Sadiki to fire home.
Like Ahoka, the midfielder opened his Sunderland goalscoring account with a moment that will live long in the memories of the travelling supporters.
For Le Bris, the result carried significance beyond the three points, representing another important step in Sunderland’s development following their return to European competition.
“We are back in Europe after 53 years – and in Portugal again – and winning this game at the end is really special,” he said.
“It is a symbol and really important for many reasons.
“Our fans were fantastic once again today and they are helping us all the time.”
The Sunderland manager was particularly pleased with his players’ refusal to give up after conceding the opening goal. Their response demonstrated the mentality he wants to establish as the club continues to grow and compete at a higher level.
“The team showed this evening a belief and they kept going until the end.
“We showed again this mindset and that is very important for us.
The victory also offered a glimpse of Sunderland’s potential, with Le Bris highlighting the youthfulness of his starting lineup as evidence of the opportunities and challenges ahead.
The Frenchman pointed out that the starting XI had an average age of just 22, underlining the considerable room for development within his squad.
“As a team and a club we are growing up and we need experiences.
“Our starting XI this evening was just 22, so this team is young but they have huge potential,” he continued.
“The potential is all about getting more experiences to learn and grow.
Le Bris acknowledged that Sunderland’s progress would require patience, hard work and consistent performances rather than relying on isolated moments of brilliance.
While Sadiki’s late strike provided the headline moment in Portugal, the manager believes the discipline and resilience displayed throughout the contest will be equally important as the campaign progresses.
“We have to accept it won’t be easy, but we need to show consistency, discipline and work hard every day. The players showed that today.”
Sunderland’s historic European victory gives the club another reason to believe in the direction under Le Bris. Coming from behind away from home before snatching victory in stoppage time demonstrated the character required to navigate demanding fixtures.
With Ahoka and Sadiki both opening their Sunderland accounts, the result also delivered encouraging individual milestones alongside the wider achievement.
For the travelling Black Cats supporters, the night in Portugal offered a memorable return to European away football. For Le Bris, it was further evidence that his young side are learning, growing and developing the resilience needed to make their European adventure count.
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