Manchester City 2-2 Sunderland
Duncan Watmore scored on his return from injury to help Sunderland under-23s earned a Premier League 2 point at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The Roadrunner has been out of action since December 2016 after rupturing his ACL, but made it a return to remember by converting from the penalty spot.
Ethan Robson restored the lads’ lead, with Brahim Diaz cancelling Sunderland’s lead out twice.
TEAM NEWS
Watmore was the big news on the teamsheet ahead of kick-off, notching his first minutes in red and white since being stretchered off in Sunderland’s Premier League match against Leicester City in December 2016. James Talbot continued between the posts for Elliott Dickman’s side while Elliot Embleton and Robson filled the midfield berth for the lads.
HE’S BACK!
Sunderland began the game brightly, Watmore looking neat and tidy on the ball while also looking to ask questions of City’s backline as he darted in behind. Watmore didn’t have to wait long for his first real chance to score, being hauled back inside the area and winning a penalty for the Black Cats. Charlie Oliver was given his marching orders after just six minutes, and Watmore calmly did the rest when he slotted Sunderland into the lead. But it should've been 2-0 immediately after, but for the reflexes of the City shot-stopper who first denied Watmore and was at his best to block the follow up.
CRUCIAL NEXT GOAL
It was proving to be an end to end affair and Taylor Richards was the next to go close for City. The winger danced past two defenders with ease, only to pull his effort into the side netting. Watmore continued to be a threat for the lads, as he looked to use his pace to catch the 10 men of City out. But City grew into the game and they were handed a lifeline when Tom Dele-Bashiru was felled in the six-yard box and Diaz calmly dispatched the resulting spot kick to bring his side level. Despite the best efforts of the 10 men, it was Sunderland who went in ahead at the break as Robson found space in the area and arrowed a low drive into Grimshaw’s bottom left corner on the stroke of half time.
BACK THEY COME
Davies’ side rallied after the break as they again tried to get back in the game and they did after a moment of brilliance from Diaz on the hour mark. Picking the ball up on the left of the penalty area and with defenders in front of him, the Spaniard took advantage of a yard of space to curl a fine effort into the top right corner. As the game reached its finale, clear cut chances were few and far between as both defences held firm.
Man City U23: Grimshaw, Duhaney, Oliver, Francis, Davenport (C), Smith, Dele-Bashiru, Foden, Richards, Garre, Diaz.
Subs: Latibeaudiere, Sokol, Diallo, Matondo, Gonzalez
Sunderland U23: Domingues, Gamble, Taylor, Beadling (C), Hume, Bale, Robson, Molyneux, Embleton, Diamond, Watmore.
Subs: Brotherton, Talbot, Allan, Storey, Nelson.