Europa League
2026-10-15 - Torreense vs Sunderland
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Europa League Match Day 1
Thursday 15th October 2026 - Kick Off 5:45pm
This game is live on TV
Torreense
The Portuguese Cup has never been won by a club from outside of the top Division, but Torreense upset the odds when beating Sporting and earning a spot in the Europa League Group Stage. It was not the perfect season for the club having lost a Play Off to earn a place in the Portuguese top flight, but Torreense fans will long remember the day they finally saw the team win major silverware.
They have already won the opening Europa League game, but Torreense will be hosting matches in a different venue to the usual home. That may make things more awkward for a team that are just outside the bottom three places in the Portuguese second Division, but this is a squad that may feel there is very little for them to lose during this European run.
Torreense had been unbeaten in 3 games in all competitions going into the international break, but returned to lose 1-0 at Tondela. The side have not won any of the last 4 games they have hosted, although 3 of those matches have ended in draws.
Sunderland
The last two Europa League titles have been won by English Premier League clubs and Sunderland will have big ambitions in this competition, as will Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. They are one of the clubs with little European experience to fall back upon, but Sunderland have a squad that have a number of members who are used to playing in these competitions and that will help.
Regis Le Bris will have been glad to have seen his team open the Europa League with a victory over AZ Alkmaar and finishing in the top eight places is a real target for Sunderland to avoid having to play an additional Knock Out tie in February. The Black Cats have been in mixed form in the English Premier League, but the Europa League will feel like a drop down in level of opponent Sunderland are expected to face.
Sunderland have lost 3 of the last 4 games in all competitions following the 0-2 defeat to Brighton on Saturday, although the exception is that win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League. The side have won 1 of the last 6 away games played in all competitions going back to the end of last season.
Habib Diarra and Brian Brobbey are both doubts, but Sunderland will still be able to take a strong squad to Portugal. The manager is likely going to make one or two rotations to the starting eleven with the domestic commitments to consider.
Head to Head
This is the first time these two clubs are meeting in a competitive fixture.
Prediction
There is a huge gap in the quality within the squads that Torreense and Sunderland will bring into this Europa League Match Day 2 fixture, but the former have shown how much appetite they have for upsetting the odds.
Beating Sporting to win the Portuguese Cup will live long in the memories of the fans, but the Europa League is another step upwards for a team that is still playing in the second tier of Portuguese Football.
Torreense have the extra obstacle of not being able to host matches in their usual home, although the win at Lillestrom on Match Day 1 means they still need to be respected.
A professional Sunderland will be needed to earn another victory in this competition and Regis Le Bris may feel the Europa League can help spark the English Premier League form.
Clubs from this League have been very strong in the Europa League and Conference League over the last couple of years and Sunderland have enough depth to believe they can make a couple of changes and still have too much for a lower League club from outside of one of the elite European Leagues.
Inexperience is a potential issue for Sunderland, but they have all of the qualities needed to secure a relatively comfortable victory on Match 2 of this League Phase.
The Pick :
Torreense 0-2 Sunderland
