Wilson Isidor has handed Sunderland a fitness boost after starting Haiti's final Concacaf Nations League group game, while the club continues to await news on the severity of Brian Brobbey's hamstring injury.
Isidor's productive international window
The Frenchman, who represents Haiti because of his Haitian descent, started all four of Haiti's Nations League fixtures, scoring three goals and registering two assists. Haiti finished second in Group A despite a 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica, progressing to the quarter-finals after winning their opening three matches.
Isidor began the window by playing the full game against Trinidad & Tobago, setting up Haiti's first two goals before scoring a dramatic winner eight minutes into stoppage time in a 3-2 victory. He then completed another 90 minutes as Haiti beat Costa Rica 2-0 before his standout goalscoring performance in the 4-1 win over the Dominican Republic, where he scored twice, in the 51st and 67th minutes, having earlier seen a penalty saved.
Injury fears eased
There was some concern after Isidor was withdrawn after 72 minutes against the Dominican Republic, with reports describing an apparent injury, although no diagnosis or expected absence was confirmed. However, he was fit enough to start again just days later and played 89 minutes of the defeat in Costa Rica before being substituted late on.
He will now return to Wearside ahead of Sunderland's Premier League meeting with Brighton, with Regis Le Bris already dealing with injury uncertainty surrounding fellow striker Brian Brobbey.
Brobbey's setback
Brobbey signed off for the first international break of the season with a hat-trick in a 5-3 defeat at Manchester City, his first goals of the campaign. However, he lasted just 34 minutes of the Netherlands' 1-1 draw with Germany after picking up a suspected hamstring injury.
Sunderland are awaiting news on the severity of the injury before assessing how long the former Ajax star could face on the sidelines, with some suggestion he could be out for two months. That could open the door for Isidor to take his place in the side.
