Sunderland defeated Middlesbrough 3-2 at the Riverside Stadium, with Régis Le Bris describing French loanee Enzo Le Fée as “talented”after he was the standout player for the Black Cats. Daniel Wales reports.
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00:00A brisk February evening on Teesside braced itself for a feisty encounter between Middlesbrough
00:07and Sunderland at the Riverside Stadium. With both sides pushing for promotion from the
00:12Championship to the Premier League this season, the stakes could not have been higher between
00:16the two north-east sides ahead of kick-off.
00:20It would be the visitors though who took the bragging rights in what was a thrilling match.
00:243-2 the final score with Middlesbrough's Ryan Giles scoring an unfortunate own goal
00:29with just minutes left following Sunderland's low-knee Enzo Lefebvre's wicked delivery
00:34into the box.
00:36It was a game in which both sides had led at different stages, Borough early on through
00:41Delano Bergzorg before Sunderland turned the tie on its head with goals from Dan Neal
00:46and Wilson Isidor either side of half-time.
00:49And despite Hayden Hackney's impressive strike from range drawing Borough level with half
00:53an hour to play, it was Reggie Celebresa's side who left much the happier of the two.
00:59After the final whistle, Lebrese spoke of how his side played with passion.
01:04It was an intense game against a strong team and away especially in the derby so we have
01:10to play with passion 101% rather than 80, 85, 90 because it makes a difference.
01:21Lebrese added that there is more to come from difference maker Enzo Lefebvre.
01:25I expect more from him because he's so talented that I think he could play at the best level.
01:34Best level means Premier League or something else so he's not too far but he still has
01:41a big margin I'm sure.
01:42He's now well connected with teammates, his teammates so we can now find more relationship
01:51with Dennis, with Job, with Wilson, with Dan on the pitch because on the left side he's
01:57connected with these players and I think with one full week we had to train and experiences
02:06on the pitch with his teammates he's now more connected.
02:11Michael Carrick, meanwhile, believed his side should have pressed on more when ahead.
02:15I thought we started the game ever so well and score went ahead, looked like we could
02:19add to that really.
02:20We were in a really good place and then the two goal swing that we dealt with well, second
02:26off and come back into the game and just drifted a bit second off really where we didn't probably
02:31do enough in the game of four and then to lose it like that is a very tough one to take.
02:38Football's ups and downs through a game and there's going to be times when you've got
02:42the momentum, you've got the upper hand and you've got to make the most of that.
02:45You can't always expect to score more than two goals at home to be honest but, as I've
02:49said, the two goals, the deflection in a known goal, you can pick the bones out of it a little
02:57bit but it's harsh really.