Leicester City 1 Sunderland 2
Andrew Lisgo
A strike from Fraizer Campbell and a Jordan Henderson thunderbolt were enough to seal a win for Sunderland in their penultimate pre-season game against Leicester City at The Walkers Stadium.
Campbell scored his sixth game of pre-season after just five minutes in a first half which saw both teams share the chances, but Sunderland's fitness work in Portugal proved pivotal as they finished the game as the stronger side.
Both teams started the game looking sharp with the home side coming close to opening the scoring after just two minutes when Lloyd Dyer failed to hit the target at the back post from a Bruno Berner cross on the left flank.
Steve Bruce's side replied staright away and Darren Bent was on the end of a lovely Steed Malbranque through ball, however the striker's shot was straight at Chris Weale in the Leicester City goal.
Two minutes later and the visitors did manage to convert a chance to take an early lead. Campbell latched onto a Henderson pass on the edge of the box, striking home across goal into Weale's bottom left corner.
Campbell's goal after just five minutes was his sixth of the pre-season as he continued his fine goalscoring form.
Despite the Black Cats taking an early lead it was the home side that looked the more dangerous on the attack with numerous chances falling to DJ Campbell and Andy King for the Foxes.
The home side nearly replied on ten minutes when Dany N'Guessan beat the offside trap and almost took the ball around Simon Mignolet in the Sunderland goal. The Belgium Under-21 international was at full stretch and got a hand to the ball, collecting it comfortably.
On fifteen minutes the home side's pressure finally paid off as they found an equaliser thanks to Andy King. The Leicester striker was on the end of a Matty Fryatt through ball after he won the ball from Cattermole in the Sunderland half. Similar to Campbell's goal for Sunderland, King slotted home across goal but into Mignolet's bottom right corner.
Sunderland made an early change on 20 minutes as Phil Bardsley came on for Anton Ferdinand.
It was Bardsley who came closest to adding a second for Sunderland in the first half. A lovely one two with Henderson on the right wing saw Bardsley's final cross into the box actually dip and hit the crossbar with the rebound falling slightly out of Bent's reach.
The highlight of the first half was for the home side as DJ Campbell picked the ball up on the edge of the box, knocked it over Michael Turner, turning him and striking his volley slightly wide.
The best battle of the first half was definitely Michael Turner against DJ Campbell with the Sunderland defender getting the better of the attacker, keeping him away from Mignolet's goal.
Before the break Sunderland had a few more half chances through an Ahmed Al-Muhammadi cross which wasn't met and a few chances to Bent who was unlucky not to find the net for his first goal of the pre-season campaign.
Into the second half and again Sunderland took another lead thanks to a thunderbolt by Jordan Henderson.
The ball fell to Henderson 30 yards out after a Malbranque attack down the left wing. Henderson was in space and powered his strike low and hard at the Leicester City goal. Weale got a hand to it but the ball trickled past him into his goal.
The Black Cats were unlucky not to add a third just five minutes later as Fraizer Campbell almost got his second of the game. Malbranque played a lovely through ball to Campbell, whose lobbed shot over Weale went slightly over the crossbar.
On the hour both sets of supporters joined forces to welcome Martyn Waghorn onto the pitch as he replaced Campbell. 'Waghorn for England' chants were heard from the home supporters after his successful loan spell last season.
The Black Cats made their third change of the game as debutant Bramble was replaced by Paulo Da Silva fresh from World Cup duty as he was brought on for the final 25 minutes of the game.
Sunderland continued to threaten the Leicester goal in a much improved performance from the first half which saw the home side fail to really test Mignolet other than a DJ Campbell shot which was straight at him.
Bent was unlucky not to find the net or test Weale on more occasions due to solid defending by Hobbs and Morrison at the back.
Bent was replaced by Kenwyne Jones for the final 15 minutes of the game and the Trinidadian looked bright with a few headed attempts on goal from Zenden and Richardson crosses.
Jordan Henderson was replaced by Michael Liddle for the last eight minutes after the midfielder limped off with what looked like a knee problem.
Sunderland were unlucky not to seal a 3-1 win in the final few minutes when Bolo Zenden almost emulated Henderson's strike, but was denied by Weale on this occasion.
Leicester had one final attack in the 90th minute when Steve Howard's strike was tipped over the bar by Mignolet.
Next up for Steve Bruce's side is a trip to Hoffenheim in Germany before the Barclays Premier League kicks off at home to Birmingham.
Sunderland: Mignolet, Ferdinand (Bardsley, 20), Richardson, Bramble (Da Silva, 62), Turner, Cattermole (Zenden, 72), Henderson (Liddle, 80), Al-Muhammadi, Malbranque Colback, 70), Campbell (Waghorn, 60), Bent (Jones, 74)..
Subs Not Used: B Wilson, Angeleri.
Leicester: Weale, Morrison, Oakley (Wellens, 70), King (Chambers, 78), Dyer (John, 78), Fryatt (Howard, 62), Berner (Kennedy, 72), N'Guessan, Hobbs (Parkes, 86), DJ Campbell (Verma, 78), Lamey (Neilson, 62).
Subs Not Used: Logan.
