AZ Alkmaar come up just short in first Europa League game away to Sunderland

AZ Alkmaar were narrowly defeated in the first match of their UEFA Europa League campaign away to English side Sunderland on Wednesday evening. Lee-Roy Echtold’s side showed courage and fight but were undone by a penalty scored by Enzo Le Fee.

The Alkmaarders were boosted by the return of Kees Smit. The midfielder had missed the team’s last two league games with a light injury. AZ are currently still unbeaten in the Eredivisie this season. The match was a momentous occasion for Sunderland, marking their first game in European competition for 53 years.

Echtold’s side missed a huge chance to take the lead in the seventh minute when a significant error from Le Fee in possession resulted in Smit playing in Ro-Zangelo Daal, but his shot was deflected wide by Sunderland’s Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

AZ keeper Jari De Busser was forced into a save 10 minutes later when Le Fee found space in the box for a shot. His next one was somewhat more spectacular, tipping over a long-distance effort from centre-back Kevin Danso.

Le Fee came closer to breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute. Wilson Isidor spun away from the AZ defence and played a pass across to the French midfielder, whose side-footed finish hit the post.

Smit was inches away from getting on the scoresheet in the 51st minute. He turned away from his marker in the box before dragging a shot towards goal which spun just an inch too far to go wide.

A nightmare minute for AZ substitute Wesley Patati resulted in the game’s only goal. The winger lost the ball on the edge of the Sunderland area when a simple pass to midfielder Jordy Clasie was possible before rushing back to try and make up for the error and committing a foul in the box for a Sunderland penalty. Le Fee, who missed from the spot last weekend in the English Premier League, stepped up again and converted.

Echtold’s side started to ramp up the pressure in the Stadium of Light with two big chances in the 81st minute. First, Valdermar Byakov had a shot blocked in the box before it went to Mexx Meerdink; he turned well on the ball to find space before his shot was saved by Roefs.

Sunderland should have put the game to bed in the last minute of regular time, but AZ’s committed defending prevented it. Former Ajax forward Brian Brobbey spun away before running towards goal. The Oranje international opted to pass instead of shoot, the result being a block by Elijah Dijkstra, which then fell to Nilson Angulo. His effort was also blocked by the AZ defence before, finally, Brobbey was about to smash it towards goal, but Hugo Chavez slid in to prevent the shot.