Sunderland came from behind to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Portuguese side Torreense in the Europa League on Thursday, thanks to Noah Sadiki’s stoppage-time winner.
The Black Cats appeared destined to drop points after struggling against their second-division opponents, who took a surprise lead through Volnei Feltes in the first half.
However, Sunderland recovered after the break, with Jules Ahoka restoring parity before Sadiki struck in the 93rd minute to seal their second consecutive victory in the competition’s league phase.
Manager Regis Le Bris made seven changes to his starting line-up but was forced to introduce several regular first-team players as his side struggled to impose themselves on the contest.
Sunderland thought they had taken the lead in the 24th minute when Timur Tuterov headed home from Luke O’Nien’s long throw.
However, the goal was disallowed after the referee penalised an infringement in the penalty area.
The visitors failed to register a shot on target until the 57th minute, while Torreense capitalised on their opponents’ sluggish start to take the lead eight minutes before half-time.
Centre-back Volnei produced a stunning individual effort in the 37th minute, advancing from the halfway line before beating two Sunderland players and firing an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner from approximately 25 yards.
Sunderland increased the pressure after the interval, with Torreense goalkeeper Lucas Paes producing an excellent save to deny a header from Angulo in the 57th minute.
Two minutes later, Le Bris introduced Enzo Le Fee, Granit Xhaka, Reinildo and Nordi Mukiele in an attempt to turn the game around.
The substitutions helped Sunderland gain greater control, and they drew level in the 67th minute.
Mukiele delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, allowing Ahoka to guide a header into the bottom-right corner and bring the visitors back into the contest.
Sunderland continued to search for a winner and were initially awarded a penalty in the 89th minute following a challenge on Tuterov.
However, the decision was overturned after a VAR review.
The visitors eventually found the breakthrough in the third minute of stoppage time.
Xhaka controlled the ball inside the penalty area and laid it off for Sadiki, who struck a powerful volley into the net to complete the comeback.
The midfielder celebrated by jumping into the away supporters’ section as Sunderland secured a hard-fought victory.
Speaking after the match, Sadiki praised his teammates for their determination to recover from a difficult first half.
“I’m really happy for the team because we showed great mentality today. We were down but we came back. That’s what we needed to do, and now we focus on the next game,” he said.
The Sunderland match-winner also acknowledged Torreense’s performance, noting that the Portuguese side had made life difficult for the visitors despite being regarded as underdogs.
“They made it really difficult for us, even though people considered us favourites before the game,” Sadiki added.
“I’m really happy for them because they showed what it means to play in the Europa League, even though they’re in the second division.
“You don’t have to be scared of the big teams. So they played really well, but unfortunately for them, we won.”
The result gives Sunderland back-to-back victories in the Europa League league phase, although their performance against Torreense highlighted the challenges they face when rotating their squad.
For Torreense, the defeat was a disappointing outcome after a spirited display that pushed the Premier League side to the limit before Sadiki’s late intervention.
