Bradford City 2-0 Sunderland AFC
Sunderland’s 2022-23 preparations continued against Bradford City on Tuesday evening.
Emmanuel Osadebe opened the scoring following the restart at Valley Parade, firing the ball into the net from a tight angle.
Substitute Harrison Sohna fired wide after coming off the bench, but Jamie Walker doubled the Bantams’ lead from the spot with 15 minutes remaining.
Alex Neil made several changes to the starting XI from Saturday’s win at Dundee United, as Aji Alese made his first start in red and white.
Jacob Carney featured between the posts and Ellis Taylor was also handed a start, with Danny Batth, Carl Winchester, Jay Matete and Jack Clarke also lining up.
Carney had to be alert early on when Osadebe raced through, but the ‘keeper was quick off his mark to beat the pacey winger to the ball.
Clarke was first to threaten at the other end, ghosting past his man before being toppled in the box only to see the referee wave play on.
Brad Halliday and Andy Cook almost combined on 17 minutes, with excellent one-on-one defending from Batth preventing Lee Angol from threatening on the half-hour mark.
Lynden Gooch, who captained the side, forced Harry Lewis into action following the restart, with Carney diving at the feet of Cook to thwart a Bantams attack soon after.
With 51 minutes played, Bradford opened the scoring when Osadebe squeezed the ball in from a tight angle.
Neil made his first change on the hour mark, as Sohna replaced Taylor and the Black Cats reverted to a back four.
The former Aston Villa man tried his luck and let fly with 69 minutes on the clock, but his 25-yard effort whistled past the post with Lewis sprawling to his right.
Clarke then flashed an effort across the face of goal, but the Bantams doubled their lead from the spot through Walker.
Sunderland will resume their preparations for the new campaign on Saturday, facing Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium.
Sunderland AFC: Carney, Gooch, Batth, Alese, Taylor (Sohna 61), Matete, Winchester, O'Nien, Embleton, Clarke, Diamond.
Subs not used: Patterson, Richardson, Neil, Stewart, Wright, Evans, Hume, Cirkin, Pritchard, Roberts, Ballard, Dajaku.