Cardiff City 4-0 Sunderland
Ten-man Sunderland crumbled to a disappointing defeat in south Wales as Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City moved back into the top two.
A nine-minute spell at the start of the second period did the damage, as Chris Coleman’s side slammed the self-destruct button and went a goal down within 60 seconds on the restart.
Three minutes later, Didier Ndong received a straight red card for a challenge on Junior Hoilett, and defeat was confirmed soon after as Joe Ralls slammed home a second.
Callum Paterson added his second and Cardiff’s third with 80 minutes played before Anthony Pilkington added a fourth in added time.
SCENE SETTER
Despite returning to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, Coleman couldn’t afford to be misty-eyed as sentiment was buried and he focussed on securing a positive result. However, the Welshman was given a warm reception, despite his Swansea roots, before the tongue-in-cheek sledging started and the players took to the field. Ndong and Lynden Gooch were amongst the starting XI as the Black Cats made four changes, with debutant Jake Clarke-Salter also lining up against the Bluebirds following his loan move from Chelsea. Back from injury, Lee Cattermole started on the bench.
AERIAL ASSAULT
Warnock’s side mustered the first attempt but it failed to trouble the returning Robbin Ruiter, as the Dutchman collected Paterson’s tame header. 60 seconds later, Sunderland won a free-kick in a similar position, but John O’Shea was unable to divert his header towards goal and Cardiff’s attempts to counter were ended by Bryan Oviedo. Clarke-Salter provided the red and white army with a glimpse of his game soon after, as a no-nonsense clearance defied Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, but Cardiff kept on coming as the Coleman’s men were forced to dig deep and weather an aerial assault early on.
FEEDING OFF SCRAPS
Josh Maja was isolated for much of the opening exchanges – and indeed the game – but he showed why Coleman’s faith is well-placed on 11 minutes, as he held off the advances of Sol Bamba before spraying the ball into Oviedo’s path. The Costa Rican’s cross wasn’t great but Maja once again seized possession and slinked from side to side before finding George Honeyman who fired wide. The counter attack somewhat shifted the pendulum and Sunderland grew in confidence as Gooch drove to the byline, but he was unable to pick out a team-mate and a powerful run from Mendez-Laing relieved the pressure. It proved to be a false dawn.
ASKING QUESTIONS
After failing to provide a notable finish moments earlier, Ralls made no mistake at the second time of asking as his sumptuous turn and volley forced Ruiter into a superb one-handed save. The Cardiff midfielder then sent a 25-yard free-kick whistling inches wide but he was asked to step aside for the next one, as Hoilett’s effort from a similar position flicked off the outside of the post. The Bluebirds were getting closer as Kenneth Zohore’s back-post header deflected over the top, but the Black Cats held firm to ensure it was level at the break as Mendez-Laing’s effort was scooped clear in the six-yard box.
NO MAN’S LAND
Coleman shuffled his pack at the interval as Cattermole replaced Marc Wilson in the centre of midfield, but within four minutes of the restart they’d completely imploded. Paterson opened the scoring within 60 seconds of the restart, Ruiter coming off his line and getting nowhere near the ball to allow the midfielder to nod home. It went from bad to worse three minutes later as Ndong received a straight red card for a challenge on Hoilett. And with 54 minutes played it was game over in south Wales, as Ralls rounded off a lightening counter attack with aplomb to cap a miserable nine minutes for the Black Cats.
MISERY COMPOUNDED
Cardiff’s first change saw new signing Yanic Wildschut replace the lively Mendez-Laing, and he picked up the mantle with style by surging into the final third and finding Zohore who was denied by Ruiter. With 23 minutes remaining, the Black Cats were almost handed a route back into the game as Bruno Manga’s sliced clearance bounced off his own crossbar, but it was a rare moment of panic for the otherwise comfortable Neil Etheridge. And on 80 minutes the red and white army were heading for the exits – and you’d couldn’t blame them – as Paterson steered his second and Cardiff’s third after a free-kick deflected into his path. Pilkington’s simple finish compounded Sunderland’s misery in added time. A day to forget, and fast with a massive game against Hull City next on the agenda.
Attendance: 17,703
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Bennett, Morrison, Manga, Richards, Ralls, Zohore (Pilkington 81), Bamba, Paterson, Mendez-Laing (Wildschut 61), Hoilett (Feeney 81).
Substitues: Murphy, Tomlin, Damour, Halford.
Sunderland: Ruiter, Jones, Browning, Clarke-Salter, O’Shea, Oviedo, Wilson (Cattermole 46), Ndong, Honeyman, Gooch (Asoro 60), Maja (McManaman 78).
Substitutes: Steele, Robson, Love, Matthews.