If someone had told me five and a half years ago, on the long trudge back to the car from what is now called the Toughsheet Community Stadium in Bolton, that on my 23rd birthday we would be hosting a regular European outfit in AZ Alkmaar, in our first European game in 53 years, I would have asked what heavy dose of drugs they were taking.
Nights like what we have just experienced seemed a whole world away after the demolition from Bolton.
We had a manager who, in his post-match interview, looked like
he was going to burst into tears and probably knew his P45 was waiting for him on Monday morning. We also had a young squad that were bullied off the park far too easily and would fold like a deckchair at any sign of pressure from the opposition.
Thankfully, that has all changed, and on Wednesday, we had a squad of experienced operators who rose to the occasion and threw themselves in front of everything for the cause.
We’re no longer pushovers, and we showed we have the physicality to bully and compete with anyone who comes to the Stadium of Light.
Going into the game, the nervous excitement and anticipation were at fever pitch. Fifty-three years of Wembley heartbreaks, double relegations, and failure after failure were all about to be forgotten.
This is Wearside did a fantastic job during the week of building excitement, with a couple of hints at a display that had never been done before at the SOL and required multiple UEFA sign-offs before getting the final go-ahead.
This display did not disappoint, with a homage to the city’s shipbuilding industry as well as our first European adventure in 53 years.
A spectacular fireworks display on the roof of the Stadium of Light accompanied this and made for a fitting spectacle as the players walked out for a competitive European fixture for the first time in over half a century.
This spectacle proved to set the tone for the match ahead.
We started the game on the front foot, and with intent. Within the first 30 seconds, we were already testing their young defence with long throws from Danso.
Danso was involved again with an early sighter from long range, which forced AZ’s young Belgian keeper into a fine stop. Le Fée would hit the woodwork and was inches away from finding Isidor’s left foot from a cross after some good interplay.
AZ themselves also came with intent. A fine stop from Roefs denied the Dutch side from taking advantage of an uncharacteristic Enzo Le Fée blunder on the edge of his own box.
Both teams moved the ball quickly and with intent throughout the game, and this created a fantastic watch for the neutral too.
There were multiple standout performances throughout the night, but in particular, Kevin Danso and Granit Xhaka were superb throughout the night.
Danso is someone who is well known to Ghisolfi, who signed him at RC Lens and, other than for a failed medical, would have signed him for Roma too.
Many Spurs fans were baffled that they were letting him go, and it is easy to see why. He has slotted in seamlessly, showing composure and tidiness on the ball alongside being aerially dominant.
I am not aware of him losing an aerial duel all evening, and this is already turning out to be a great piece of business for Sunderland, and a £27 million obligation to buy at the end of the season already seems like an absolute steal.
Granit Xhaka showed his class all evening.
For those who didn’t know any better, you would not think he is coming into the twilight of his career. He was conducting from deep as he so often does, and his range of passing last night was a level above.
You can tell his hunger is still there, and he still has the desire and the quality to play at the highest level.
The Europa League is the one that has got away throughout his career, and he looks determined to almost single-handedly carry us to Frankfurt on 26th May.
As nights go, it was pretty much perfect.
The crowd did their part and created the best atmosphere since Dan Ballard headed one past Coventry in the Play-Off Semi-Final, along with the excellent work put in by the volunteers of This is Wearside.
We competed against an exciting, young, established European team whilst keeping a clean sheet. We managed to blood in some more of the summer signings, along with Chris Rigg getting his first taste of European football.
The supporters were given a night that many never thought they would see. The players gave the fans a performance worthy of a 53-year wait, and the atmosphere was 53 years in the making.
We certainly did not look out of place on the European stage.
It was also pretty special that it was my 23rd birthday. Not a bad birthday present!
Last night was also bittersweet and met with a tinge of sadness.
Whilst this was incredible to experience alongside my family and those we have come to know in and around our seats at the Stadium of Light, there are, of course, so many who were unable to be there.
Bob Stokoe and Ian Porterfield, the men who helped us embark on our first-ever European adventure, would have been looking down last night with an immense sense of pride at seeing this great club back on the biggest stage.
Gary Rowell, George Foster and Louise Wanless would have absolutely loved everything about last night and seeing the Stadium welcome European football with a stunning visual spectacle to tell the world that Sunderland are back!
I am sure there are many others like myself who had someone special to them who may not have been there last night but were certainly watching on in spirit.
