Enzo Le Fee scored from the penalty spot as Sunderland began their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar. Here is how Andy rated the players.
Roefs made a couple of very important saves when AZ had worked themselves chances inside the box. Early on he used his foot to stop a one-on-one, and late on he threw himself at the ball after a scramble in the six yard box.
The right back got up and down the line all night and caused all sorts of chaos going forward in the first half. He headed a good chance just wide after the break.
Another really good performance. He reads the game well, making a number of good blocks and clearances around Sunderland's own box. He almost scored a header when he diverted a wayward Xhaka shot just wide, and he tested the goalkeeper with a great shot from distance.
He was very strong in the tackle while he was on and turned out of the press well a few times. He seemed to pick up an injury early in the first half and had to go off.
He did not get forward too much because AZ pushed him back with an overload, but he defended really well down the left.
He was particularly good in the first half, dictating play from deep and pinging balls over the AZ press. It was more difficult for him in the second half though, with the visitors pushing up and playing around him with quick movement.
He had a difficult job dealing with the movement of the AZ players, but he covered so much ground getting in and around them to steal the ball back.
He had some good chances, curling a shot wide in the first half and then having two quick-fire efforts after the break. He forced a save from the goalkeeper's legs and then headed over from the resultant corner. He was a bit quiet outside of those chances though.
Le Fee had a terrible start, giving AZ a chance on a plate with a sloppy pass, but he grew into the game and was instrumental in Sunderland's many chances. He hit the post from an Isidor ball, got in behind from a Mukiele ball and forced a save, played a lovely ball over the top for both Brobbey and Isidor that neither could take advantage of, then won and converted the penalty.
He was good on the ball but that was either not often enough or far too deep with too many players around him.
Brobbey ran the line well, used the channels well and combined with Le Fee. He span in behind and picked out Le Fee for a shot against the post, and smashed a good chance wide after Le Fee flicked him in.
The substitute who came on to replace Alderete helped Sunderland see the game out. He was quick to block anyone around the box.
The substitute who came on to replace Hume also shifted to right back once Danso went off. He did a good job in both positions.
He was positive down the left but his decision making was a bit iffy. He really should have scored from the rebound in injury time.
He did not see a lot of the ball until injury time but had a couple of chances to score. One came from a clever one-two around the box with Le Fee, but a defender got in between the two and put the ball out for a corner. Then he drove towards the box from the halfway line and just when it looked like he was going to burst the net, he tried to play a ball across the six-yard box.
He did a good job nipping at AZ's heels when he came on, winning the ball and playing clever balls up to Brobbey.
Le Fee almost had a nightmare start to the game, giving the ball away to leave the visitors through on goal, but thankfully Roefs bailed him out. He was then Sunderland's best player. He scored the winner from the spot that he won himself, but he created so many chances for team-mates and had some good chances himself outside of the spot-kick.
Source: rokerreport.sbnation.com — Read the original article
Leave a Comment