Sunderland will look to make it back-to-back victories in the Europa League when they travel to Portugal on Thursday to face SC Uniao Torreense at the Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa in Leiria.
The Black Cats are competing in Europe for the first time in more than five decades and opened their campaign with an impressive 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar. Torreense, meanwhile, have already produced one of the early surprises of the competition, defeating Lillestrøm 2-1 away from home despite finishing the match with 10 men.
On paper, Sunderland’s Premier League status makes them the favourites, but their recent domestic form and Torreense’s fearless European start suggest this could be considerably closer than the difference in league status indicates.
Sunderland’s return to European competition began in ideal fashion when Enzo Le Fée’s second-half penalty secured a 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar, giving the Black Cats three valuable points in their first Europa League outing. The problem for Regis Le Bris is that the result is not representative of Sunderland’s overall form this season. They have won just two of their eight matches across all competitions, with four defeats coming in their opening six Premier League fixtures.
A chaotic 5-3 defeat away to Manchester City before the international break was followed by a 2-0 home loss against Brighton. Those results have left Sunderland 17th in the Premier League and only one point above the relegation zone. The attacking issues are perhaps the biggest concern.
Le Bris has already called for greater quality and composure in the final third, and that will be particularly important against Torreense. Sunderland are likely to enjoy more possession and territory, but they must turn that superiority into goals.
Their away record is another warning sign as the Black Cats are still searching for their first away victory of the campaign, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight matches on the road, conceding 16 goals during that sequence.
Torreense enter this fixture with considerably less European experience, but they have already demonstrated that they should not be underestimated. The Portuguese second-tier side qualified for the Europa League after their remarkable Taça de Portugal final victory over Sporting Lisbon last season.
Their European adventure then began with another upset when Torreense travelled to Norway and defeated Lillestrom 2-1 despite playing the final stages with 10 men. Alejandro Alfaro and Manu Pozo were among the players who made decisive contributions.
Their organisation was particularly impressive, with assistant coach Carlos Simoes highlighting the team’s clearly defined strategy for dealing with Lillestrom’s set-piece threat. Domestically, however, Torreense have been less convincing and they sit 15th in the Portuguese second tier, with one victory, three draws and two defeats from their opening six matches.
Their latest outing ended in a dramatic 1-0 defeat to Tondela, with the decisive goal arriving in the 100th minute in a match that produced four red cards. Torreense therefore arrive with mixed domestic form but plenty of European confidence.
Torreense are not simply facing a stronger opponent; they are facing a club accustomed to playing at a significantly higher level week after week. Sunderland should have greater physical intensity, individual quality and technical ability. However, Torreense have already shown that they can make their defensive organisation count against a team that perhaps takes them too lightly.
The Portuguese side are likely to sit deeper and look for opportunities on the counter. Their willingness to defend compactly could frustrate Sunderland, particularly if the visitors struggle to break the deadlock and the longer the game remains level, the greater Torreense’s belief will become. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Torreense will be without Nuha Jatta, who is suspended following his red card against Lillestrom. However, Adriel and Mohamed Ali Diadie remain available despite their domestic dismissals against Tondela. Alejandro Alfaro is expected to retain his place in central midfield after scoring against Lillestrom, with Amine Oudrhiri and Joao Marques likely to provide support around him.
Manu Pozo is pushing for a recall after scoring in the opening European fixture. His introduction would give Torreense another player capable of carrying the ball forward during transitions. The likely 4-2-3-1 gives Torreense a sensible defensive platform while preserving enough attacking outlets to threaten Sunderland.
Torreense’s priority should be to keep the central areas congested and they cannot afford to allow Le Fee or Sunderland’s wide players to repeatedly receive between the lines. A compact midfield should force Sunderland to circulate possession around the outside rather than playing through the centre.
Once the ball is won, the Portuguese side should transition quickly. Sunderland’s full-backs are likely to advance, meaning there could be opportunities to attack the channels behind them. Alfaro could become particularly important because he provides both defensive protection and a route into attack.
Torreense should also be prepared to defend set pieces aggressively and their ability to nullify Sunderland’s aerial threat could be crucial if the visitors struggle to create chances from open play.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Adriel; Bruno, Diadie, Volnei, Vazquez; Oudrhiri, Alfaro; Pozo, Marques, Jean; Abubakari
Sunderland have several injury and eligibility issues to manage as Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard and Habib Diarra are sidelined with hamstring injuries, while Romaine Mundle remains out with a long-term knee problem. There is also uncertainty surrounding Thomas Meunier, who suffered a thigh injury during the defeat to Brighton. If he is is unavailable, Trai Hume or Malick Fofana could be asked to fill the vacancy.
Sunderland also have several players who are unavailable because they were not included in the Europa League squad, including Chemsdine Talbi, Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg, Alan Browne and Aji Alese.
The Black Cats’ biggest task is converting their expected territorial superiority into genuine scoring opportunities. Granit Xhaka should provide control from deep, allowing Le Fee to move higher and concentrate on creating chances.
The attacking width supplied by Malick Fofana and Nilson Angulo could be particularly important. Torreense are likely to defend centrally, so Sunderland need to stretch the back four before attacking the gaps that emerge and there is also an interesting tactical balance for Le Bris to manage.
Sunderland should push their full-backs forward to create numerical advantages, but their poor away defensive record means they cannot become reckless. Torreense’s counter-attacking opportunities could increase dramatically if both full-backs are caught ahead of the ball. The ideal approach for Sunderland would therefore be controlled dominance: circulate possession patiently, move Torreense from side to side and then accelerate once a gap appears.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Danso, Alderete, Methalie; Xhaka, Sadiki; Fofana, Le Fee, Angulo; Isidor
The French midfielder scored the decisive penalty in Sunderland’s 1-0 Europa League victory over AZ Alkmaar, giving him an immediate connection with the club’s European campaign. His role will be particularly important against Torreense’s expected compact defensive structure. Rather than simply staying in front of the Portuguese midfield, Le Fee will need to find pockets of space between their midfield and defence and provide the final pass when Sunderland move into the attacking third.
With Brian Brobbey and Habib Diarra unavailable, Sunderland have lost some attacking options, increasing the creative responsibility on Le Fee. His movement could also help Sunderland avoid becoming predictable. If Torreense’s midfielders follow him, gaps could open for Fofana, Angulo or the advancing full-backs; if they hold their position, Le Fee may have enough time to turn and play forward.
Given Sunderland’s struggles to produce consistent attacking performances this season, Le Fee’s ability to unlock a deep defence could ultimately determine whether the visitors leave Portugal with another European victory.
Torreense deserve considerable respect after their victory over Lillestrøm, and Sunderland’s away record makes this far from a routine European assignment. The Portuguese side are likely to frustrate the visitors for long periods, particularly if they can keep their defensive shape and prevent Le Fee from receiving between the lines.
However, Sunderland possess greater individual quality across the pitch and have already demonstrated in their victory over AZ Alkmaar that they can grind out European results. The key difference should eventually be Sunderland’s ability to introduce Premier League-level quality in the final third.
