SPOT-KICK SUCCESS

At the Hill Dickinson Stadium, amid the familiar squeeze of nerves and noise, Sunderland once again found themselves in a moment that demanded character. Everton pressed, the game swung, but this was never just about ninety minutes - it was about resolve, belief, and men who carry the club in their bones.

Luke O’Nien stood tallest. From the muddy pitches of League One to this stage, he has lived every chapter of Sunderland’s recent story. And when it came down to the shoot-out, with the weight of a city resting on one kick, it felt inevitable. Calm, defiant, utterly Sunderland... O’Nien stepped forward and scored. No theatrics, just truth. Sunderland’s son, still dragging us forward, still setting the standard.

Behind him, Robin Roefs was monumental. Immense and immovable, he turned the shoot-out into his own personal exhibition. Three saves. A hat-trick. Each one colder than the last. Everton came with hope; Roefs sent them away with disbelief. One of the very best, rising in the moments that matter most.

This was Sunderland at their core. Grit, togetherness, and players who don’t just wear the badge, they are the badge. Till the end.