Sunderland score last-gasp Europa League winner as Crystal Palace fall to defeat in five-goal thriller against Lyon

Regis Le Bris was forced to call on the cavalry to rescue his side as Sunderland came from behind to win their first European away match in 53 years in stoppage time against Portuguese second division side Torreense.

Noah Sadiki struck in the dying minutes prompting wild celebrations from the near 4,000 travelling supporters, who had earlier seen summer signing Jules Ahoka cancel out a spectacular opener from Torreense defender Volnei Feltes.

The winner owed much to the creativity of Enzo Le Fee and Granit Xhaka as the pair, who began the night on the bench, underlined their importance to the Black Cats.

Having watched their team-mates struggle to break down Torreense, Le Fee produced a delightful dinked pass into the penalty area to find Xhaka, with the Swiss flicking the ball first time into the path of Sadiki to score his first goal for the club.

‘When Granit touched it I heard him scream shoot and I didn’t think twice,’ Sadiki said. ‘I just hoped it was going in and the keeper wouldn’t save it. I’m really happy. It was a beautiful moment.’ 

Le Bris had taken the understandable risk by deciding to make seven changes for the fixture against arguably their weakest Europa League opponents, with Torreense currently lying 15th in the Portuguese second tier.

With just four points in the Premier League and five matches left to play this month, this was the match to give an opportunity to fringe members of the squad.

Torreense, though, have proved they are more than capable of springing a surprise. Their journey to the Europa League is one to rival Sunderland’s own having stunned Sporting Lisbon in last year’s Portuguese Cup final to qualify.

Their opening goal proved just as unexpected as that triumph.

Feltes was well inside his own half when he received possession and opted to embark on a forward run. After driving towards the Sunderland box, the Brazilian defender chopped between the challenges of Malick Fofana and Nilson Angulo and curled magnificently into the top corner.

Whatever happens to the minnows, they will come away with one of the best goals of this year’s competition.

Sunderland were forced to be patient when trying to break down their opponents, who dropped deep in the second half.

Le Bris turned to his bench moments after Nilson Angulo saw a header superbly kept out by goalkeeper Lucas Paes, with Omar Alderete failing to convert the follow-up.

His quadruple change of Xhaka, Le Fee, Reinildo and Nordi Mukiele proved crucial. The latter’s cross for Ahoka to equalise with a header while Xhaka and Le Fee were central to Sadiki’s winner.

‘Winning this game just at the end is really special,’ Le Bris said. ‘It’s important for the club and the fans – they were fantastic once again.

‘We are growing and we need experiences and I think the team showed the belief until the end which is really important for us. We showed again we have this mindset.’

Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace – Eagles defence struggles again

By James Sharpe 

Now Pierre Sage knows how Oliver Glasner feels. He knows how it feels to return to your old stomping ground, one where you achieved great things, and come away with nothing.

Just as Glasner took his new Nottingham Forest side back to Selhurst Park at the weekend and lost, so too did Sage as Crystal Palace endured a frustrating night in Lyon where he once helped save the French side from relegation.

In truth, a night like this has been coming. Palace cannot keep defending like this, be so open and unorganised, and expect to win matches. Sooner or later, you leave yourself with too much of a hill to climb.

It took Forest just three minutes to open the scoring at the weekend and Lyon needed only seven minutes and 31 seconds here. As always, it was all too easy.

A bog-standard corner into a crowded six-yard box and, despite the hordes of black Palace shirts, the ball still dropped to Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso.

Only this time, Lyon didn’t miss the rest of the chances that came their way like Forest did. On the stroke of half-time as the hosts cut through Palace with simple passes and Keito Nakamura squared for Ernest Nuamah, who darted ahead of the defenders to finish. Tyrick Mitchell, for all his goalscoring exploits this season, made little effort to track his run.

It was this leakiness that caused a few shudders in the Palace boardroom, letting in 11 goals in their opening four matches, and sparked rumblings that Sage could be the first Premier League managerial casualty of the season.

If there is a saving grace to which Palace can cling, it’s that when they do get it right under Sage, they do look menacing. There was little of that in a dreadful first half but, after the break, they clicked into gear. They are just, as yet, unable to find the balance.

Having wantaway forward Ismaila Sarr back in the line-up always helps with his directness in the final third.

And when you have the precision of Adam Wharton in your midfield, you will always stand a chance. It was his delightful first-time through ball to Yeremy Pino after a fine short corner routine that helped fire Palace back into the game.

The introduction of Daichi Kamada swung momentum further Palace’s way. He was bundled over inside the box but Palace’s furious protests fell on deaf ears. He had a shot from close range saved and, eventually, found the net after some chaos inside the box.

The only problem was that, by then, Lyon had already added a third courtesy of Pavel Sulc’s cheeky backheel flick.

Palace kept pushing as Chris Richards saw a late header from a corner saved but, ultimately, in vain. This time, it wasn’t enough. This time, they didn’t get away with it. This time, they gave themselves too much to do.

‘I’m really frustrated about the result but really frustrated with the way of playing in the first half,’ Sage said.

‘Our game started at half-time and it was too late. 

‘We play too quickly sometimes with the idea to play out the back quickly in transition but we are not a team like this, we have only one or two players able to run and make the difference with the speed. 

‘That’s why we have to move with the ball, travel with the ball, and we did that in the second half.’