Sunderland beat Chelsea to make history and advance to the Europa League

Sunderland secured a Europa League spot for next season by defeating Chelsea 2-1 at the Stadium of Light in their final Premier League match, thanks to home advantage.

In their first season back in the Premier League, Sunderland finished seventh. This was not only the club's first qualification for European competition in over 50 years, but also the first time in the club's history that they had secured European qualification through their top-flight league ranking.

Tray Hume's volley and an own goal by Chelsea defender Marlo Gusto extended Sunderland's lead to 2-0. Although Chelsea's star player Cole Palmer pulled one back shortly afterward, neither could find the net again, and Sunderland secured the victory.

It's worth noting that exactly one year ago today, Sunderland had just defeated Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley to gain promotion to the Premier League. Manager Regis Lebrs excitedly said after the match: "It feels incredible, May 24th is a perfect day."

"Think about how we barely made it to the Europa League last season, and now we're already in the competition. That shows the club's stability, cohesion, and unity. When you have those things, you can achieve extraordinary things."

Regarding the upcoming plans, Lebrides remained clear-headed, admitting, "The game was a bit tense, but the players performed very well, maintaining a high level of consistency and discipline. Next, we must adjust our form as quickly as possible to prepare for next season."

"It's obvious that the Premier League will remain our top priority. We need to maintain the same mindset and see if we can further improve the team. Staying aligned and continuing to work hard is very important."

Image source: Internet