Sunderland and Juventus Snatch Late Wins as AC Milan Thrash Salzburg in Europa League

Sunderland and Juventus secured dramatic victories with stoppage-time goals on Thursday as the Europa League delivered another eventful night. Sunderland came from behind to defeat Portuguese side Torreense 2-1, while Juventus overturned an early deficit to beat Celta Vigo by the same scoreline. AC Milan produced the evening’s most emphatic result, winning 4-0 away to Red Bull Salzburg through a historic hat-trick from teenager Alphadjo Cissé.

Late drama, impressive comebacks and a standout individual performance defined Thursday’s Europa League action, with Sunderland and Juventus scoring decisive goals in stoppage time while AC Milan recorded a commanding 4-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg.

Sunderland recovered from a difficult first half to beat Torreense 2-1 in Portugal, extending their winning start to the competition. Juventus also showed resilience away from home, scoring late to complete a 2-1 comeback against Celta Vigo. Meanwhile, Milan’s emphatic triumph was inspired by 19-year-old Alphadjo Cissé, whose hat-trick helped the Italian club respond emphatically to their opening-round defeat. 

Sunderland Leave It Late to Overcome Torreense

Sunderland needed patience and a strong response from their substitutes to secure a 2-1 victory against Torreense. The Portuguese side took the lead in the 37th minute when defender Volnei Feltes produced a spectacular strike that left goalkeeper Robin Roefs with little chance.

The goal threatened to derail Sunderland’s evening, particularly after manager Régis Le Bris made several changes to his starting line-up. The visitors struggled to find their rhythm before half-time, allowing Torreense to carry a narrow advantage into the break.

Le Bris responded by introducing more experienced players, and the changes helped Sunderland take control. Jules Ahoka equalised in the 67th minute, heading home after a delivery from Nordi Mukiele to bring the visitors back into the contest.

With the match heading towards a draw, Noah Sadiki delivered the decisive moment in the 93rd minute. Set up by Granit Xhaka, the midfielder struck to complete Sunderland’s comeback and preserve their perfect start to the Europa League campaign.

The victory was particularly memorable because it came during Sunderland’s first competitive European away match in 53 years.

Juventus Produce a Stoppage-Time Comeback Against Celta Vigo

Juventus also had to fight back to secure three points, defeating Celta Vigo 2-1 in Spain. The hosts made the stronger start and moved ahead in the 18th minute through Hugo Álvarez, who finished after a well-worked attacking move.

The Italian side needed a response after falling behind, but they gradually improved and found an equaliser through Nick Woltemade in the 59th minute. His goal restored the contest and gave Juventus renewed belief that they could leave Vigo with a positive result.

The decisive moment arrived in stoppage time, when Randal Kolo Muani scored in the 92nd minute to complete the turnaround. The late strike denied Celta a point and gave Juventus their second win of the league phase.

The result highlighted Juventus’ ability to remain in the game despite conceding first. It also left Celta searching for their first points of the campaign, while the visitors strengthened their position with six points from their opening two matches.

Alphadjo Cissé Leads AC Milan to a Four-Goal Victory

While Sunderland and Juventus relied on late goals, AC Milan settled their contest against Salzburg with an emphatic attacking display. The visitors won 4-0 at the Red Bull Arena, with Cissé producing one of the most memorable individual performances of the evening.

The young Italian forward opened the scoring in the 15th minute, heading home from an Omari Hutchinson cross. He doubled Milan’s advantage in the 32nd minute after a move involving Davide Bartesaghi, giving the visitors a comfortable lead before the interval.

Cissé completed his hat-trick four minutes into the second half, finishing a counter-attacking move created by Adrien Rabiot. The achievement made him the youngest Italian player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition match, marking a significant milestone in his emerging career.

Gonçalo Ramos added a fourth goal in the 72nd minute, capping a clinical performance from Milan. Although Filippo Terracciano was sent off late in the match, the dismissal did not alter the result.

After losing their opening Europa League fixture against Benfica, Milan responded with a performance that secured their first points of the campaign.

Leverkusen and Bournemouth Also Impress

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen recorded a convincing 4-0 away victory over Lech Poznań. Patrik Schick scored twice from the penalty spot in the first half, with Malik Tillman also finding the net before the break. Ibrahim Maza added another goal late in the match to complete the scoreline.

Bournemouth enjoyed a successful European night of their own, defeating Sturm Graz 3-0 in their first home match in continental competition. The result offered an encouraging start to their European campaign on home soil.

However, the evening was less rewarding for Crystal Palace, who lost 3-2 away to Lyon in an entertaining five-goal contest. Palace attempted to recover after falling behind, but the French side held on to secure the victory.

These results underlined the competitive nature of the league phase, where teams are already trying to establish themselves in the standings and avoid losing valuable ground in the race for qualification.

Late Goals Change the Europa League Picture

Sunderland and Juventus demonstrated the value of maintaining belief until the final whistle. Both sides conceded first, yet their persistence allowed them to turn difficult away fixtures into victories and collect maximum points.

For Sunderland, the win also strengthened their promising return to European football. Their ability to respond after a poor first half will encourage Le Bris, although the need to make significant adjustments during the match showed that there remains room for improvement.

Juventus, meanwhile, will take confidence from securing another victory after coming from behind. Their late winner illustrated the importance of maintaining attacking pressure, particularly in tightly contested matches where a single moment can determine the outcome.

Milan’s performance offered a different lesson: decisive finishing can turn a difficult European assignment into a convincing win. Cissé’s historic hat-trick provided the headline moment, while the team’s four-goal display gave them an important response after their opening defeat.

Attention Turns to the Next Round of Fixtures

The clubs will now look ahead to their next league-phase matches, with Sunderland scheduled to visit Lech Poznań and Milan preparing for their next European challenge against Sunderland in December. Juventus will also seek to build on their perfect start as the competition progresses.

The league-phase format leaves teams with further opportunities to improve their positions, but results in the opening rounds can prove important when the qualification places are decided. Sunderland and Juventus have given themselves a strong platform by winning their first two matches, while Milan have responded to their initial setback.

Thursday’s action provided a reminder of the different routes to success in European football. Sunderland and Juventus prevailed through late determination, while Milan’s attacking quality settled their match much earlier. With more fixtures to come, the race for the knockout stages remains open, and these results have added further intrigue to the competition.