LFL: CFC

Europa League!

BEFORE

I'm really looking forward to being at this afternoon's game as whatever the scoreline it'll be a celebration of a great season. I'd been wary of us getting into Europe but when I saw what Aston Villa have done i.e. winning the Europa League while still staying in the top five of the Premier League, I changed my mind. Villa are a very good team but we competed really well with them this season and for the bulk of the home match we only had ten men. If we don't qualify, I won't be disappointed as we've done so well anyway but if we do, it'll just be the icing on the cake. I've heard rumours of Alderete being unavailable for today but we've got good strength in depth to have a reshuffle and cover for him. Chelsea won their last match but had been on a bad run before that and of course we beat them in the away game so I think we'll get a result again today. Match prediction: 2-2.

I walked through the city (town) centre to head over the Keel Crossing and I’d never seen the place so chocker with our fans, especially in the Fire Station area and with the bonus of blazing sunshine there was a fiesta atmosphere. I called in at ALS Towers and got the team-news. There was one change from the Everton game with O’Nien starting in place of Alderete, who was actually on the bench. Traore was also on the bench in place of Talbi. I was in my seat in the Upper East Stand around 2.30 and the place was buzzing. My friends' match predictions were 2-2, 1-2 and 2-0. I hadn’t learnt all the possible permutations of what would happen if our immediate rivals won, lost or drew so I just waited to see what would happen. It was clear our fans would be the twelfth man again as they were roaring before we kicked off. There was a red and white striped fan display as the Dance of the Knights blasted out. Our area was in black so I’d have to wait to see what it all looked like. Then after ‘Wise Men Say’ we were off.

THE MATCH

Chelsea barely touched the ball in the first two minutes and then we won the first corner of the game. Xhaka took it from our right and his curving kick was held by Sanchez in goal. After playing it around dangerously at the back we broke quickly down the right and a Le Fee (28?) shot was beaten out for a corner by Sanchez. We couldn’t make anything out of it but the momentum was still with us. I could see us getting a goal from one of Mukiele’s long throws from our right as we were stacking them up. Meanwhile there was even more pushing and shoving than usual from their defenders in their box. We conceded a free-kick not far from the right angle of our box in the fifteenth minute and we had trouble getting it clear till we won a free-kick ourselves. After a mistake by Cucurella we won another corner when the ball was whipped off Brobbey’s toes before he could unleash a shot. Sanchez went down like a sack of shit after Angulo gave him a mild shoulder charge and he was certainly the villain of the piece. A minute late Angulo had a great shot on target that Sanchez managed to hold. By the midway point of the half it was still all us in terms of attacking.

In the twenty-fourth we took a deserved lead when Hume received a flicked-on header from O'Nien on the edge of their box and extended a leg to steer it past Sanchez into the bottom-right corner. The place exploded. In the thirty-first Brobbey was put through but his low shot went into the side-netting. Next thing Fofana made a clearance over the bar that was too close for their comfort and when the corner was cleared Roefs made an rare mistake by kicking it out for a throw-in to them. Maybe that would put Chelsea off him!

Neither side was giving the other an inch and the tackling was tough. We had a penalty shout for handball in the thirty-sixth but referee Chris Kavanagh didn’t bat an eyelid. Joao Pedro headed wide of our left post and that was really their first attempt of the game so far. Chelsea were enjoying a better period in the final five minutes of the half and Fernandez was putting in the occasional dangerous cross. Angulo took a yellow for the team to stop a swift Chelsea attack down our left bit we survived the twice-taken free-kick and broke away ourselves, though Hume’s effort was weak and limped wide of the post. Two minutes of added-time were announced and Chelsea were awarded a free-kick near our left touchline. We got it clear and the whistle immediately went, to much applause all round. So far, so very good.

I can never get any internet connection inside the stadium so I awaited an announcement about how our rivals were doing. There was good news when the scores were announced with Brighton, Everton and Newcastle all losing. My neighbour showed me the table on his phone and we were in seventh spot. There was no half-time draw or on-pitch interviews so I reckoned all that would be saved till after the game was over as we’d been asked to remain in our eats afterwards.

In the opening minute Brobbey was put through on goal but Sanchez managed to block his low shot. In the fiftieth we were 2-0 up and the ball was finally helped into the net by Blues defender Malo Gusto after a pass from the goal-line on the right was hit goalwards by Brobbey. The goal seemed to be in doubt for a minute or so but it was finally given to tremendous joy all round. There was no announcement as to the scorer but I wasn’t bothered. Next thing Xhaka showed his class when he coolly chested the ball back to Roefs under pressure. A deflected O’Nien shot was grabbed by Sanchez and I could feel a third goal coming. Instead in the fifty-sixth a strong low shot by Palmer pulled one back for Chelsea. Soon a shot from Angulo was narrowly wide and the game was ebbing and flowing as both sides went for it. Clearly trying to sit back against Chelsea would be foolish.

Brobbey and Angulo was subbed by Isidor and Diarra on the hour and then Chelsea were down to ten men when Fofana was red-carded for a bad tackle close to the edge of their box. When the free-kick came over it went out for a corner. Chalobah replaced Neto before the corner could be taken and then it had to be taken again. The Chelsea players were starting to lose their cool and they’d be down to nine if they weren’t careful. There was a yellow at any rate for James, who’d been mouthing off the most. Just to add to the fun there was a VAR check for handball but nothing came of it.

Less than twenty minutes to go and anything could and probably would happen by the feel of things. The tackles were getting tastier but the time was slipping away quickly. Palmer blasted a shot well over and up the over end an Isidor shot was curving evr closer to the top-right corner but didn’t quite manage it. Ten minutes to go and then Colwill did a lot of rolling around after a tackle.

So there was a stoppage for a few minutes before he was finally able to continue. Chelsea did make two other changes before we were off again. It looked like a lot of the Chelsea fans had already left. In the eighty-eighth Isidor swivelled and put in a low shot that Sanchez blocked. There ws bound to be around five minutes of added-time what with that injury and ten minutes were duly announced, which I and many others could have done without. Chelsea won a corner in the ninety-fourth but we survived it and then there was a clash of heads in our box that left two players, Colwell and Mukiele) down and of course added to the added-time. Both of them were able to continue. Joao Pedro was booked for a foul on Roefs as he prepared to kick clear. Le fee received a great ovation as he went off to be replaced by Rigg. We entered the hundred and first minute and I’d no idea how much more there’d be. A loud chant of ‘We are Sunderland!” echoed round the ground. Diarra won us a corner on the left as the stewards were deployed to try to prevent fans coming on the pitch and then it was all over to great roars everywhere. A few flares were set off and the Chelsea fans scarpered to leave us to sing Wise Men Sing and bask in the joy of a great day and a great season.

‘Europa Confirmed’ was displayed on the big screens and that told us all we needed to know. There was a long delay before the full squad re-emerged at 6.30 and in the meantime Mayenda made what looked like a farewell to the fans. I hope not as I still reckon he can play his part. O’Nien had a kickabout with his two little kids and a series of anthems were played on the p.a. for us to sing along to. Finally Both Regis and Granit made speeches and as the players prepared to do their lap of honour, I made my exit.