Dickman takes charge and Asoro nets to put our under-23s into their first International Cup semi-final!
In our latest review of the development team's season, we analyse how the Lads got on during February and March...
FEBRUARY
Friday 3 February 2017 – Manchester City 4-1 Sunderland – PL2
Sunderland were made to rue missed chances as Manchester City were at their clinical best to snatch all three Premier League 2 points. The Black Cats’ bright start turned to dust on eight minutes, Demeaco Duhaney tapped home following an incisive breakaway move. Rees Greenwood was then left with his head in his hands as he passed up two huge chances to draw the lads level before Lukas Nmecha added more misery on 27 minutes as he doubled the hosts’ lead. Lynden Gooch led the charge in the second 45, and he was able to halve the deficit with over 20 minutes to play as Sunderland sensed a comeback could be on the cards. However, City ended any hopes of that as possession football paid fruition – Jadon Sancho curled an effort across goal and beyond the reach of Max Stryjek before Duhaney added a fourth in the closing stages to wrap up the victory.
Wednesday 15 February 2017 – Sunderland 2-0 Athletic Club – PLInternationalCup
Sunderland returned to Wearside the following week and became International Cup semi-finalists for the first time in the club’s history. Elliott Dickman’s side produced a scintillating performance to defeat 10-man Athletic Club, and found themselves 1-0 to the good on 25 minutes when Ethan Robson stabbed home on 25 minutes following Joel Asoro’s parried strike. There was work still to be done as Stryjek whirled into action on the stroke of half-time to deny a venomous strike from Peru Nolaskoain. Two minutes after the restart Elliot Embleton doubled the Black Cats’ lead from range before Athletic’s night turned from bad to worse when Ingo Córdoba was dismissed for a straight red. From there the Black Cats closed the match out and booked their place in the semi-finals of the International Cup for the first time.
Monday 20 February 2017 – Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland – PL2
Sunderland’s quest for their first league win in 2017 continued as their hard work came to nothing at the Lamex Stadium. Stryjek endured a moment he won’t want to see again inside five minutes as he lost possession on the edge of his own box and allowed Kazaiah Sterling to steal in and tap home. To the stopper’s credit, though, he produced a number of assured stops to keep the Lads in the match as they searched for a route back into the game. Greenwood, the main source of Sunderland’s attacking play, fashioned a handful of openings before Asoro hit the base of the post early in the second period. That proved to be as close as the Black Cats came to an equaliser. Another frustrating evening for the Lads.
Monday 27 February 2017 – Burnley 5-3 Sunderland - PLCup
Defeat to Burnley meant Sunderland had to wait another match to secure their place in the knockout stars of the Premier League Cup. Daniel Agyei broke the deadlock inside 22 minutes with a surging run from deep before two goals in four minutes saw the Black Cats turn the match on its head. Greenwood drilled an effort into the bottom corner on the half-hour mark and then Maja slotted home to give Dickman’s side a well-deserved lead. But Burnley romped through the gears from that moment onwards, Agyei levelling things up with a poachers header on 37 minutes before Jimmy Dunne found the corner, with the help of stopper James Talbot, with his header on the stroke of half-time. Arlen Birch then netted an acrobatic scorpion kick minutes after the interval to deal the Black Cats another blow. And Burnley made sure of the win in the 69th minute when one of their trialist’s sent a venomous strike into the top corner from 25 yards. Maja reduced the arrears from the penalty spot in the dying embers, but it proved too little too late for the Black Cats.
MARCH
Thursday 2 March 2017 – Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Sunderland - PLCup
Maja’s solitary goal ensured Sunderland topped their Premier League Cup group at the expense of Blackburn Rovers. The Black Cats romped out the traps in the opening stages, Maja incisively finished off his golden chance on 24 minutes following Embleton’s slipped pass. Blackburn dug deep in the second period but rarely tested Republic of Ireland stopper James Talbot who clinched a confidence boosting clean sheet. The result meant the Lads leapfrogged Rovers to top Group B and advance to the last 16.
Monday 6 March 2017 – Sunderland 1-3 Manchester United – PL2
Like last time, Sunderland returned to their domestic campaign and tasted defeat, leaving them still chasing their first league win in 2017. Jan Kirchhoff returned from injury but couldn’t prevent the loss and Manchester United oozed class. Two goals in six first-half minutes saw United well on their way to victory, Demetri Mitchell dispatched a penalty on 27 minutes before Scott McTominay was a tad fortunate as his deflected strike from range left Stryjek wrong footed. Devonte Redmond secured the win in the 71st minute, but there was late drama as Regan Poole was shown a red card for two bookable offences with 90 minutes on the clock.
Sunday 12 March 2017 – Sunderland 2-2 Leicester City – PL2
Maja’s brace helped Sunderland twice come from behind to earn a Premier League 2 point against Leicester City. It was a point which the Black Cats had to fight all the way for it as Foxes frontman Admiral Muskwe his fourth and fifth goals of the season. Muskwe firstly rounded Stryjek with five minutes on the clock to give Leicester the lead before Maja levelled things up shortly before half-time with a smart chip. Six minutes into the second period, though, and it was 2-1 to the Foxes as Muskwe slotted past an on rushing Stryjek. Sunderland pushed all the way in the closing stages, and earned a share of the spoils when Maja sent Daniel Iversen the wrong way from 12 yards as Ethan Robson was fouled inside the area.
Friday 17 March 2017 – Sunderland 0-1 Colchester United - PLCup
Sunderland exited the Premier League Cup at the last 16 stages after they were defeated by a resolute Colchester United. Eoin McKeown scored the game’s only goal inside the opening nine minutes, poking the ball home after a goalmouth scramble. Chances were aplenty for the Black Cats, with Asoro and EEmbleton seeing the clearest sights of goal before late drama almost forced the game to extra time. Dean Brill produced a heroic save to deny Maja from the penalty spot before the striker was then denied by the offside flag a minute later.
Friday 31 March 2017 – Norwich City 0-1 Sunderland - PLInternationalCup
Sunderland produced a heroic display to defeat Norwich City and become the first team in the club's history to advance into a European final. Asoro handed the Lads a priceless lead with 13 minutes played, incisively rolling the ball past Aston Oxborough as he bore down on goal. Glenn Middleton was then presented with a glorious chance to level the tie 20 minutes later from the penalty stop, but Stryjek producing a match-defining save to preserve the Black Cats’ lead. Gooch peppered Oxborough’s goal with a number of half chances while City’s stopper made himself big on two occasions in the second period to deny Asoro and keep the Canaries hopes of progressing alive.
A late onslaught from the Canaries saw them rattle but bar, but the night belonged to Sunderland and Strjyek who made a number of huge saves to see the Lads claw themselves over the line.
Sunderland will face FC Porto in the Premier League International Cup final. Well done, Lads!