Sunderland 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb: Black Cats Shocking In First Europa League Defeat

Sunderland suffer 2-0 Europa League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb

Sunderland suffered their first defeat of the Europa League campaign on Thursday evening as Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb beat the Black Cats 2-0.

On bonfire night, there was a stunning firework display in the intense pre-match atmosphere at the Stadium of Light, but Sunderland's performance during the 90 minutes provided nothing of a sparkle.

Sunderland looked average in the opening exchanges, and midway through the first half, Zagreb took the lead with a volleyed finish from Luka Stojkovic, who caught the ball beautifully after a poor failed clearance from the corner to net the opener.

Despite the technical quality on display with Stojkovic's finish, it begs the question as to why the Dinamo man was unforgivably unmarked by the Sunderland defence at the back post, in a goal eerily similar to the equaliser that the Black Cats conceded in the draw at Lech Poznan in the previous Europa League matchday.

Just moments later, the experienced defensive presence of Thomas Meunier was on hand to thwart an instant advantage doubler, blocking a Zagreb shot off the line for Sunderland as their defensive dishevellment continued.

Meunier was in action once again minutes later, but this time in the Black Cats' final third, hitting the inside of the Zagreb post with a tame effort which proved to be Sunderland's best and only real opening of the half.

Out-of-form Kevin Danso found his way into the referee's book after a foul to halt a Zagreb counterattack courtesy of a poorly weighted pass from the yet again below-par Granit Xhaka, which saw Roefs called into action moments later with a solid stop.

Dinamo made it two before the interval with yet another shocking passage of defending from Sunderland.

The Black Cats continued to be second to every ball and were punished as striker Dion Beljo dinked Roefs, with the retreating Omar Alderete failing to clear off the line and smashing into his own net after the ball trickled over the line to double the visitors' advantage.

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After Sunderland were booed off heading into the interval, Le Bris made four substitutions at half-time, seeing Reinildo, Trai Hume, Noah Sadiki and Enzo Le Fee replace Dayann Methalie, Meunier, Ahoka and Chris Rigg.

Early in the second 45', Sunderland thought they had halved the deficit courtesy of a Wilson Isidor header, but the Haitian forward's goal was ruled out by the VAR officials to keep the score at 0-2.

Sunderland continued to show signs of minimal improvement after the break as Danso and Reinildo hit the Zagreb woodwork, but those half-chances in the early flurry were far from sufficient to find an avenue back into the game.

Throughout the rest of the second half, Sunderland looked totally out of ideas in the final third, continuing to fail at penetrating the Zagreb defence, with a severe lack of quality or ingenuity in possession from everyone in red and white.

Overall, it was another deflating defeat and display from Le Bris' side, who with every passing game appear to be less and less like the newly-promoted team who finished seventh in the Premier League and qualified for Europe earlier this year.

Le Bris looks lost on the touchline and persistently keeps making unfathomable tactical decisions, his Sunderland squad look amateurish and out of confidence and the growing unrest among the Stadium of Light stands continues.

Xabi Alonso's Chelsea come to the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon in the top flight as the rock-bottom Black Cats look to bounce back, but after the Europa League defeat to Dinamo, it would be extremely against the odds for Sunderland to pick up anything against the Blues.