Brentford 1-1 Sunderland
by Layth Yousif
at the Brentford Community Stadium

IT WAS honours even in west London after Enzo Le Fee’s 82nd-minute penalty earned a point for Sunderland at Brentford.

Le Fee’s late spot-kick sent Bees keeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way to cancel out Vitaly Janelt’s 57th-minute opener, as the 1,703 travelling supporters in a crowd of 17,131 celebrated in the September sunshine.

Boss Regis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s resilience, saying: “It is positive [to get a point] because we know that Brentford are a really good team at home.”

Prior to their second 1-1 draw in a week, Brentford boss Andrews made a single change from the side that drew against Leeds United at Elland Road last Sunday, with Dango Ouattara coming in for Jaidon Anthony, who dropped to the bench.

Sunderland head coach Le Bris also opted on one switch from the Black Cats’ 1-0 win over Fulham, when the Frenchman handed Kevin Danso his debut, following his loan move from Spurs.

Danso was involved in the action early on, but not in the way he would have wanted. Dan Ballard’s excellent finish past Kelleher counting for nothing, following referee Thomas Bramall taking an age to decide the Black Cats’ No 4 was adjudged to be in an offside position, as well as blocking the Bees keeper’s sight lines, after VAR told him to check the monitor. Not an auspicious start to his Sunderland career for new boy Danso.

With Le Bris’s side looking lively, Le Fee thudded the post after 20 minutes following good work from colleague Brian Brobbey. The visitors certainly had much the better of the first half with Nordi Mukiele steering his header wide when well placed.

Cheered on by the passionate travelling fans — the experienced Granit Xhaka cannily swapped ends after winning the toss, with the intention that the Sunderland team would attack the goal where their support was massed — Le Bris’ side dominated the opening 45 minutes, even if the score remained goalless at the break, following eight minutes of added time.

Perhaps stung by the visitors’s commanding first-half show, Bees boss Andrews bravely made three changes at the break, including Yehor Yarmoliuk for the disappointing Mamadou Sangare, who had also picked up a first-half booking.

It was a big call, as Sangare had been superb in Brentford’s opening games of the season, following his £38m summer move from Lens.

The new impetus nearly paid dividends when Robin Roefs blocked Igor Thiago’s header, as the home side started brightly.

Brentford were not to be denied, with a superb strike from Janelt to put the home side ahead on 57 minutes, the Bees No 27 reacting first to Mukiele’s faltering clearance, as the team and jubilant fans celebrated gleefully.

However, as the clock ticked down, with Andrews’ side looking to add another win to their already excellent start to the fledgling season, Keane Lewis-Potter was adjudged to have brought down Wilson Isidor in the box with eight minutes remaining.

Despite the home side’s protestations, Le Fee calmly slotted past Kelleher — also putting to bed his poor penalty miss at the same stadium last season — to ensure a point apiece in the sunshine near the Thames at Kew Bridge.

Le Bris added after the match: “It was tough last season for Enzo [when missing his spot-kick during the 3-0 defeat at Brentford] but he has learned.

“I wasn’t worried about the penalty because he is a really good footballer.”