Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris believes his youthful team will benefit from being tested by the intense atmosphere at the Enea Stadion after their Europa League campaign continued with a 1-1 draw at Lech Poznan.
The Black Cats missed the chance to make it three victories from three matches in the competition. Tymur Tutierov gave them an early lead, but Leo Bengtsson’s 70th-minute equaliser secured a point for the Polish side.
Sunderland went ahead after only 78 seconds. Mateusz Lis’ misplaced pass was intercepted by Nilson Angulo, whose cross was headed into the bottom corner by Tutierov.
It was Sunderland’s earliest major European goal and the second-fastest away goal scored by an English club in the Europa League. Only Fulham’s Bobby Zamora, who scored after 20 seconds against Wolfsburg in April 2010, had done so sooner.
The visitors had opportunities to extend their advantage before half-time, with Granit Xhaka and Nordi Mukiele both missing presentable chances.
Lech Poznan responded after the interval and Bengtsson levelled by striking past Robin Roefs at his near post. Neither team could find a winner.
Sunderland’s goal also ended a notable sequence. They became the first English side to score within the opening two minutes of a Europa League match and fail to win, after the previous seven teams to achieve that had gone on to claim victory.
The visitors finished with 11 shots on target and attempted 25 efforts in total, producing an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.97. Their tally of shots on target was their highest in any competition since they recorded 11 against Plymouth Argyle in League One in May 2021.
“We expected this atmosphere, this style of play from our opponent,” Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.
“I think they are a good team and after the first goal, they showed that they had quality to build up under pressure, to go through our block when we were a bit open.
“They created chances as well. After that, we created our chances. We deserved to score the second goal.
“We didn’t and in a nice stadium like this against a good team, the momentum can shift and switch really quickly and it happened.
“So a good experience. We started the game with seven players under 23 years old, so they need to experience those situations against good teams to get better.”
The match also provided opportunities for several of Sunderland’s fringe players, with Angulo among the strongest performers for the Premier League strugglers.
The winger has now supplied two assists in his past four appearances in all competitions, having registered none in his previous 14 games for the club. He also led Sunderland for chances created, with five, and recorded team-high totals of four crosses and two successful dribbles.
Tutierov scored his first Sunderland goal on his fourth appearance for the club in all competitions. He is the first Ukrainian to score for an English club in the Europa League since Andrii Yarmolenko scored for West Ham against Sevilla in March 2022.
“It felt so good,” Tutierov said. “I had goosebumps. At first, I didn’t think I had scored, but then I did and ran to the cameras.
“Everyone said to me, imagine scoring a goal, because when the moment comes, you will put the ball in the net. That is what happened.”
