Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Sunderland (Wolves win 4-3 on penalties)
Attendance: 1,118
Sunderland suffered penalty shootout heartbreak as they crashed out of the Checkatrade Trophy to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday.
Bright Enobakhare showed his class with 13 minutes on the clock as he strolled his way into the box, round Vito Mannone, and then tapped the ball effortlessly home into an empty net.
Sunderland wasted no time in searching for a response and just four minutes later Tom Beadling slammed home a blockbuster equaliser from 25 yards.
Mannone was then to thank on numerous occasions as pulled off a string of fine stops to force the match to a penalty shootout.
While Sylvain Deslandes saw his penalty stopped, Wolves produced a dramatic turnaround to book their place in the next round of the competition as Luke Molyneux and George Honeyman were denied from the spot.
Robbie Stockdale named a youthful starting XI which included three 17-year-old's in Joel Asoro, Josh Maja and Elliot Embleton.
Mannone, who was the Black Cats most experience player, began the evening between the posts as he clocked some valuable minutes.
Following a quiet opening to the match, the game sparked into life on 10 minutes as Asoro broke in aches of space down the right flank.
The Swede picked out Maja well placed in the middle but his strike partner miscued his effort and Wolves were able to make the all-important block.
And that proved pivotal as just three minutes later Enobakhare waltzed his way into the box, round Vito Mannone, to give the hosts the lead.
The Black Cats responded well though, Embleton showed quick feet on the edge of the box to take three players out before his defence splitting pass saw Maja beat the offside trap.
Maja composed himself well and while his effort left Wolves’ keeper standing the ball rebounded off the foot of the post and clear.
But Sunderland weren’t to be outdone and with 17 minutes played Beadling rifled home an exquisite leveller from 25-yards out.
Six minutes later Stockdale’s side should’ve been in front when Asoro, who showed his class all evening, attempted an audacious lob after breezing his way into the box from the halfway line.
Embleton continued to show flashes of brilliance in the middle but both sides ultimately cancelled each other out as the half petered out.
Wolves began the second 45 in the ascendancy and quickly penned the Black Cats deep into their own half.
Conor Randall cracked a free-kick from 20 yards into a stubborn wall before Will Randall warmed the hands of Mannone with a drilled cross that needed to be dealt with.
Sunderland were a shadow of their attacking self in the second period as the hosts managed to keep a lid on Embleton, Asoro and Maja’s creative sparks.
Mannone was the busier keeper as he halted Enobakhare’s twisting run before he was later required to collect Randall’s fierce drive from 25 yards.
Andrew Nelson was thrown into the mix on 72 minutes in replace of Embleton to shake the Black Cats’ attack but Wolves continued to sink their teeth.
Waves after wave of attacks crashed against Sunderland’s defence, Enobakhare forced Mannone to make a top drawer save at his near post before Randall came inside and sent a thunderous drive whistling round the outside of the far post.
With the game tied at 90 minutes, penalties were required to determine the outcome.
Deslandes saw his penalty saved but Wolves produced a dramatic turnaround to book their place in the next round of the competition as Molyneux and Honeyman were denied from the spot.
Sunderland's Wembley conquest in the Checkatrade Trophy is over.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Burgoyne, Simpson, Upton (Breslin, 27), Johnson, Deslandes, Ronan, Herc, Carnat, Enobakhara, Randall, Gibbs-White
Unused subs: Brown, Armstrong, Leak, Levington, Finnie, Delacoe
Sunderland: Mannone, J Robson, Brady, Ledger, T Robson, E Robson, Embleton (Nelson 72), Maja, Beadling (Molyneux, 80), Honeyman, Asoro (Lawson, 90)
Unused subs: Talbot, Pybus, Wright, Casey