Sunderland under-18s bounced back from their recent defeat to earn three points against Manchester City thanks to Bali Mumba’s second-half strike.
Mumba’s goal direct from a corner ensured Mark Atkinson’s side got back to winning ways in addition to keeping a hard-earned clean sheet at the Academy of Light.
SCENESETTER
The Black Cats came into Saturday’s game on the back of a 6-3 defeat away to Stoke City a fortnight ago, with goals from Sam Greenwood and Benji Kimpioka the only consolation as the defeat left Mark Atkinson’s side seventh in the U18 Premier League. Fourth-placed Manchester City also arrived at the Academy of Light on the back of a defeat as they slumped to a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of West Brom. Atkinson made six changes from the defeat against the Potters as Anthony Patterson, Josh Hesson, Kane Evans, Robbie Dunne, Kieron Proctor and Tom Scothern came in for Michael Woud, Rayed Derbali, Tomas Howard, Jordan Hickey, Sam Greenwood and Kimpioka.
CATTS PENNED IN
The Citizens gained the upper hand in the first half with the blustery conditions behind them, but the wind caused problems for them as a number of passes and crosses went astray. Tommy Doyle threatened down the right flank on a number of occasions only for his final ball to swerve safely into the grateful arms of Patterson each time, while he and Keyendrah Simmonds saw their 20-yard free-kicks sail high over the bar. City came closest to breaking the deadlock out of the two sides on the half-hour mark, as Simmonds picked up the ball 20 yards before shifting to his right and curling a shot that crashed off the crossbar.
WINDS OF CHANGE
The hosts relied on the counter-attack to fashion chances with City dominating possession in large spells of the game, and their patience almost paid off before half-time as Reece Devine’s loose back pass sent Dunne clean through on goal only for keeper Curtis Anderson to rush out and smother his close-range effort. Dunne was presented with a similar opportunity to open the scoring after half-time when Josh Hesson’s disguised pass sent the striker behind the visiting defence, only for Anderson once again to react quickly to deny him.
DEADLOCK BROKEN
The Black Cats’ pressure had City all at sea at the back and Iker Pozo almost put through his own net from Bali Mumba’s corner, prodding over the bar from mere yards away from goal. Mumba didn’t need a touch from a player on either side to open the scoring however, as the midfielder whipped the resulting corner into the box where it ghosted past everyone and into the far corner to give the hosts a well-earned lead on 71 minutes. City pushed forward in search of an equaliser as soon as the whistle restarted proceedings, with a slice of luck nearly seeing Simmonds level as his 15-yard strike deflected just wide of the far post.
TENSE FINISH
City made changes late on in an effort to rescue a point with Alpha Diounkou and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru entering the fray in the final 10 minutes as the visitors attempted to break down a resolute Black Cats backline. The changes set up a tense finish as the Black Cats dropped deep to defend their one-goal lead with Andrias Edmundsson clearing the danger on a number of occasions. Sunderland remained unmoved however and held their lead as the final whistle blew, leaving them seventh in the U18 Premier League table.
Sunderland: Patterson, Hesson, Evans, Lilley, Edmundsson, Young, Proctor (Leonard, 83’), Scothern (Neil, 77’), Dunne (Slack, 82’), Mumba, Kokolo.
Subs: Derbali, Newman.
Manchester City: Anderson, Frimpong, Garcia, Ogbeta, Devine, Pozo, Ogunby (Diounkou, 82’), Doyle (Dele-Bashiru, 82’), Touaizi, Nmecha, Simmonds,
Subs: Amankinah, Scott, Robinson.