Sunderland sun burge duniyar kwallon kafa ta Ingila a kakar wasan 2025-26 ta Premier League. Bayan da suka samu ci gaba zuwa matakin farko ta hanyar play-offs a watan Mayu 2025, Black Cats sun dawo bayan shekaru takwas na rasa, suka kuma biya wa masu shakka da kasa ta lashe matsayin bakwai — wanda ya basu damar wasan Turai na farko tun 1973.

Duk da haka, yayin da ake gabatowa ga kakar 2026-27, Sunderland suna samun kansu a cikin mafi yawan masu nema ga fitowar su cikin ƙungiyoyin da masana caca suke sa ran su fita, bayan ƙungiyoyin da aka sanya sabuwa Hull City, Coventry, da Ipswich. Damuwa uku manya ne ke ciyar da wannan takaici: lambobi marasa ƙarfi daga kakar da ta wuce, inuwar ciwon kakar ta biyu, da kuma buƙatun yaƙin neman nasara na Turai.

Abin da lambobi ke faɗa

Manufofin da ake tsammani (xG) na auna yadda ƙungiya take ƙirƙirar damar yin ƙwallaye masu inganci da kuma hana waɗanda take gāba da ita. Da wannan ma'auni, Burnley da Wolverhampton Wanderers ne kaɗai da suka fita daga babban rukuni waɗanda suka nuna bambancin xG mafi muni fiye da ƙungiyar Regis le Bris a kakar da ta wuce. An kuma saukar da West Ham United — tare da xG na gaba ɗaya mafi muni ta huɗu.

Sunderland sun ci ƙwallaye uku sama da kuma sun karɓi ƙwallaye shida ƙasa da abin da adadi xG nasu ke hasashe, suna wuce tsammani da ƙanƙani wanda Manchester City da Aston Villa kaɗai suka wuce. Yawancin ƙungiyoyin sun kammala kakar wasan da kusan daidai da lambobin su na asali, wanda ya tabbatar cewa sakamakon Sunderland ya fi ingancin wasansu na gaske.

Duk da haka, wani babban dalili guda ɗaya ya ɓata hoton. Black Cats sun rasa 'yan wasa shida yayin Kofin Kasashen Afirka a watan Disamba da Janairu — sau biyu na yawan kowace ƙungiya a Premier League. Aikinsu ya riga ya faɗi bayan farkon ƙarfi, amma gajiyar ƙungiyar a lokacin gasar ta sa al'amura su yi muni sosai.

Da zarar waɗannan 'yan wasa suka koma, lambobin asali na Sunderland sun farfaɗo a hankali, kuma ƙungiyar ta kammala kakar wasan tana wasa a matakin ƙungiyoyin tsakiyar teburin. Ba tare da Kofin Kasashen Afirka a wannan kakar ba, wannan matsalar ba za ta sake dawowa ba. Idan suka ci gaba da irin wasan ƙarshen kakar a 2026-27, fita daga babban rukuni za ta zama damuwa mai nisa.

Ciwon kakar ta biyu

Ra'ayin cewa ƙungiyoyin da aka ci gaba dasu yawanci suna rugujewa a kakarsu ta biyu a babban rukuni ya yadu sosai, amma bayanan sun ba da labari mai rikitarwa fiye da haka. Sunderland da Leeds United sun zama ƙungiyoyin da aka ci gaba dasu na 53 da 54 da suka tsira daga kakarsu ta farko ta Premier League a bara. Daga cikin 52 da suka gabata, 11 ne kaɗai aka sauke a kakar da ta biyo baya — mafi yawan kaso na kashi 21.

Duk da haka, akwai abin da ya faru da ƙungiya da ta yi kakar farko mai fice sannan ta yi karo a shekara ta biyu. Ipswich na George Burley sun kammala kakar 2000-01 a matsayi na biyar tare da maki 66 — mafi yawan maki da mafi kyawun kammala da ƙungiyar da aka ci gaba da ita ta taɓa cimma a kakar wasanni 38 — kafin a sauke su a shekara mai zuwa, suna rasa matsayi 13 da maki 30.

Baki ɗaya, huɗu daga cikin ƙungiyoyi 20 da aka ci gaba dasu waɗanda suka kammala rabin sama na teburin a kakarsu ta farko an sauke su a kakarsu ta biyu — kaso na kashi 20. Sunderland kansa ya tsira daga wannan ƙaddara a ƙarƙashin Peter Reid, wanda ya jagoranci ƙungiyar zuwa matsayi na bakwai a kakar wasan biyu a jere kusa da juyin ƙarni.

Tambayar Turai

Wasan Turai na farko a cikin shekaru 53 yana ƙara wata ɓangare ta rikitarwa. Sunderland suna shiga UEFA Europa League, suna fuskantar wasanni aƙalla takwas na ƙari a kan jadawalinsu na cikin gida. Su ne kawai ƙungiya ta goma da aka ci gaba da ita a tarihin Premier League da ta samu cancantar wasan Turai, kuma ta biyar kawai da ta yi haka ta hanyar matsayinta na gasar.

Daga cikin ƙungiyoyi tara da suka zo gabansu, biyar sun samu wata matsayi a rabin sama na teburin kuma biyu ne kaɗai aka sauke — Ipswich a farkon shekarun 2000 da Hull City a tsakiyar shekarun 2010. Yanayin Hull ya bambanta: sun shiga Turai ta hanyar kaiwa ga karshen FA Cup duk da kammala a matsayi na 16, an yi musu buga kofili a wasannin cancantar UEFA Europa League, aka kuma sauke su da maki 35 a watan Mayu mai zuwa.

Kwarewar Ipswich tana da gargaɗi fiye da haka. Lokacin da Inter Milan ya fitar da su daga Kofin Uefa a watan Disamba 2001, ƙungiyar Burley ta ci nasara a wasa ɗaya kawai daga farkon wasanni 15 na gasar. Ba su taɓa farfaɗowa ba kuma aka sauke su a ƙarshen kakar wasan.

Misali mai ƙarfafawa fiye da kowa shi ne Wolverhampton Wanderers a kakar 2019-20. Duk da buga wasanni 17 a UEFA Europa League — har zuwa kusa-kusa — Wolves sun ci gaba da kammala bakwai a gasar karo na biyu. Wannan shi ne daidai abin da Sunderland ke nufin cimmawa.

Abubuwan da za su sa kakar wasan ta zama mai wahala suna nan babu shakka. Amma ga ƙungiyar da ta hau daga League One zuwa gasar Turai a wani ɗan lokaci kaɗan, Black Cats da magoya bayansu sun sami damar yin imani da cewa za su iya cin amana na masu shakka karo da karo.