🛠️ Technical Area

Walker can acknowledge it all he wants, but City's 114 charges aren't going away because players kept their heads down. • Bayern and Arsenal both played like they'd rather be anywhere else, which tracks for a midweek Champions League dead rubber. • Kargbo's back from the dead, which is fine, but Blackburn need him to actually change something rather than just exist on the bench. • PSG reminded Barcelona that even a good season means nothing when you run into a team that wants it more, especially in Paris. • Brighton are heavy favorites and shouldn't need to sweat a Conference League opener against a mid-table Czech side, so expect them to do exactly that. Walker can acknowledge it all he wants, but City's 114 charges aren't going away because players kept their heads down. • Bayern and Arsenal both played like they'd rather be anywhere else, which tracks for a midweek Champions League dead rubber. • Kargbo's back from the dead, which is fine, but Blackburn need him to actually change something rather than just exist on the bench. • PSG reminded Barcelona that even a good season means nothing when you run into a team that wants it more, especially in Paris. • Brighton are heavy favorites and shouldn't need to sweat a Conference League opener against a mid-table Czech side, so expect them to do exactly that.

EPL

Sunderland begin historic European campaign with battling AZ Alkmaar win

By WAF News Desk September 17, 2026 3:45 am Updated September 19, 2026 12:50 am 1 min read

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Sunderland begin historic European campaign with battling AZ Alkmaar win

Sunderland 1-0 AZ Alkmaar: Enzo Le Fee’s second-half penalty ensured the Black Cats notched a victory in their first European match for 53 years

WAF Context

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Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar in their first European match in 53 years. Enzo Le Fée converted a second-half penalty to settle the contest. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs made crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet during a battling performance against the Dutch side.

What we know

Le Fée's penalty secured victory in Sunderland's Europa League opener
The win marked their return to European competition after 53 years
Roefs produced important saves to deny AZ chances in both halves

Why it matters

Sunderland's historic return to European football represents a significant milestone for the club. A winning start provides momentum for their European campaign and demonstrates defensive resilience against a Eredivisie side that won domestic cup honours last season.

Read Full Story at Independent Football

Sources