Sunderland U23 0-5 Brighton & Hove Albion U23
Sunderland under-23s’ Premier League Cup campaign got off to a disappointing start as they lost at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The south coast club produced a ruthless display across the field and made sure they punished an out of sorts Black Cats.
Here’s how the action unfolded at Eppleton Colliery Welfare….
TEAM NEWS
Donald Love and Brendan Galloway began the evening for Elliott Dickman’s side in the full-back berths as they clocked minutes in the tank. Joel Asoro and Ethan Robson, who have also been involved in first-team action recently, featured from the off while 17-year-old Jack Diamond stepped up from youth team duty to provide a spark for the Black Cats.
SPARKLE
And it wasn’t long before Diamond began to show what he was capable of. The second-year scholar collected the ball in the middle of the park, shifted it out of his feet while fending off a challenge and picked out Ethan Robson on the right flank. Robson then clipped a ball into the path of Andrew Nelson who saw the ball run away from him and behind for a goal-kick as he chested it down. Soufyan Ahannach then provided a sparkle for the visitors, breezing his way past two defenders and into the box. Ahannach showed great guile and balance as he ghosted into the box but his effort flew over the bar as he wildly swiped at it from 12 yards.
SAND-ING DOWN
Donning their all yellow away kit, Brighton built on their early chance from Ahannach and waltzed their way into a commanding lead with 22 minutes played. Sanders bagged two goals in four minutes - firstly, drilling the ball across goal and through a crowd of bodies after Sunderland failed to clear their lines and then seizing possession away from Chris Allan on the edge of the box and rifling past Michael Woud. Sunderland were rattled and in need of some magic to get them back into the game, but while Diamond provided craft and vision the visitors became wise to his runs and quickly pounced on him whenever the ball moved out to the left. Brighton continued to ask the questions, this time Ahannach picked out Will Collar and his close-range effort was blocked by Alex Storey. Lax finishing then came to Sunderland’s aid as Sanders dragged his effort wide after Hendrik Bjordal barged his way to the byline and pulled the ball back to the penalty spot where Sanders looked poised to bag his hat-trick. But with half-time on the horizon, Alzate added a third moments after being denied by Alex Storey’s outstretched leg. The pacey No.9 nipped into the box and after shifting the ball onto his right foot he quickly found the bottom corner to wrong foot New Zealand stopper Woud.
CAUGHT COLD
Sunderland showed their intent early in the second period, Nelson peeled away from his man and into space before warming the gloves of Robert Sanchez in the Albion goal. It was a sign from improvement but it counted for little in the visitor’s next foray forward as Alzate calmly slotted past Woud on 49 minutes. That only added to the Black Cats’ frustrations as passes in and around the final third went astray which resulted in attacks breaking down in the final third. Nelson was his tenacious self-up top while Diamond faded as the second 45 wore on. Changes from both sides saw the match filter into a scrappy affair, but it was Brighton who once again added some quality to their game as they caught the Black Cats cold again. Robson lost possession on the edge of the box and within a flash Albion burst down the left, with James Tilley arriving on the right flank to slide home a fifth. Game over.
Sunderland U23: Woud, Love, Galloway, Allan (Wright, 76), Storey, Brotherton (Taylor, 50), Asoro (T Robson, 50), E Robson, Nelson, Embleton, Diamond
Subs: Patterson, Poame
Brighton & Hove Albion U23: Sanchez, Moore, Cox, Collar (Hutchinson, 69), Hall, Kerr, Tilley, Sanders, Alzate (Ajiboye, 82), Bjordal (Mandroiu, 73), Ahannach
Subs: Collings
Referee: Mr. M Donohue