AliousSunderland manager Régis Le Bris admitted his side struggled to counteract the electric atmosphere at Elland Road as Leeds United snatched a dramatic late victory.
The Black Cats went into halftime with the advantage after Wilson Isidor’s composed finish, with the forward muscling past Ethan Ampadu before slotting the ball beyond Illan Meslier via the far post. Defensively, Sunderland remained disciplined and largely frustrated the hosts throughout the opening 45 minutes.
However, Leeds ramped up the pressure in the second half, pinning Sunderland back for long spells. The breakthrough came in the 78th minute when substitutes Joe Rothwell and Pascal Struijk combined from a set piece to level the score. Then, as the Elland Road crowd roared their team forward in stoppage time, Rothwell delivered another pinpoint cross, allowing Struijk to rise highest and nod home the winner.
Le Bris acknowledged that Leeds’ relentless energy—fueled by the passionate home support—ultimately proved decisive.
“I thought we played well in the first half, both with and without the ball,” he said. “We deserved our goal and to be ahead at the break. But in the second half, they built strong momentum, and we couldn’t find a way to disrupt their rhythm. The energy inside the stadium kept increasing, and even with our substitutions, we couldn’t shift the dynamic.”
Despite the gut-wrenching nature of the defeat, Le Bris remained measured in his reaction, choosing to focus on the positives rather than the disappointment of letting a lead slip so late.
“I’m feeling stable,” he continued. “We played a strong first half. Of course, we faced a very good team, and sometimes we have to accept being overwhelmed by their quality. We’re still a young team, learning from different experiences like this. It’s tough, but I believe these moments will benefit us in the future. The players are frustrated because they want to win and push for promotion, but setbacks like this are part of the journey.”
Alious
