Fulham U23s 4-0 Sunderland U23s
Sunderland under-23s fell to defeat at the hands of an experienced Fulham side in the Premier League 2 on Friday.
The lads were made to pay by Fulham for a handful of missed chances in the second half, in an afternoon where the outcome could have been different on the balance of play.
First half goals from Ben Davis and Fabio Carvalho gave the hosts a clear advantage at the interval, and a further goal from Carvalho and one right at the death from Luca De La Torre gave Fulham the victory.
The contest was played in blustery conditions at the Cottagers Motspur training ground, in what was the lads’ second trip to the capital this season.
Andrias Edmundsson made his first Premier League 2 start of the season, coming in for the suspended Brandon Taylor in the heart of defence.
Fulham dominated possession in the early stages, but created little to test Anthony Patterson from open play.
And it required a set piece to break the deadlock in the ninth minute; Sunderland failed to clear a corner that landed at the feet of Davis, who fired home from 10-yards.
The lads responded positively to going behind though, first Ruben Sammut dragged wide from the edge of the area.
And then Williams Kokolo and Lee Connelly interchanged down the left, but the former couldn’t quite get the ball under control and the opportunity went begging.
The lads were dealt a sucker-punch right on the stroke of half time, Carvalho wriggled his way into the box and fired a low shot in off the post to double Fulham’s lead.
Sunderland wasted no time in stepping things up a gear in the second half, Bainbridge was just unable to get on the end of Dan Neil’s whipped in free kick.
Before Kokolo breezed past his marker down the right, but his dangerous cross deflected into the hands of Taye Ashby-Hammond.
Connelly had a golden opportunity to half the deficit midway through the second period, after a free-flowing move, Edmundsson stepped in and fed the ball to the striker, but his shot went agonisingly wide for the lads.
Moments later Connelly had another opportunity to set up an exciting final 15 minutes; Owen Gamble curled in a deep cross towards the striker, but he headed over from inside the six-yard box with the goal gaping.
But the lads were made to pay for the missed chances 10 minutes from time, Carvalho raced in behind the defence and slotted home to grab his second.
And Sunderland were dealt another blow one minute from time, De La Torre slotted low into the net to seal the three points for the Cottagers and leave Sunderland ruing their missed chances.
Fulham: Taye Ashby-Hammond, Cody Drameh, Jayden Sweeney, Tayo Edun, Zico Asare, Jayden Mundle-Smith, Jayden Harris, Ben Davis, Martell Taylor-Crossdale, Fabio Carvalho, Luca De La Torre
Subs: Luca Ashby-Hammond, Sonny Hilton, Ryan De Havilland, Ben Tricker, Timmy Abraham
Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Owen Gamble, Kane Evans, Dan Neil, Jack Bainbridge, Andrias Edmundsson, Lee Connelly, Bali Mumba, Cieran Dunne, Ruben Sammut, Williams Kokolo
Subs: Michael Collins, Ahmed Abdelkader, Nathan Greenwood, Jack Connolly, Ryan Leonard
