Cardiff City defeated Sunderland on Wearside, ending their five-game unbeaten streak. Sunderland surrendered late.
Sunderland’s five-game unbeaten streak was snapped by Cardiff City at the Stadium of Light as the Black Cats were dealt a late sucker blow. Goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, a former Sunderland academy product, made a number of saves, including ones from Alex Pritchard, Jack Clarke, and substitute Patrick Roberts, to frustrate his former club as Tony Mowbray’s team sought their fourth straight victory despite being by far the superior team.
Cardiff, on the other hand, did not manage a shot on goal until the 87th minute, but when they did, the ball was successful. Trai Hume gave up the corner kick that resulted in the winning goal, and Mark McGuinness was there and ready to head the ball home.
Sunderland slipped one place to fifth in the table ahead of their trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night. Mowbray named an unchanged side, sticking with the same players who began the midweek win at Blackburn Rovers.
Deadline day signing Nazariy Rusyn was included on the bench for the first time having been granted his work permit, and the Ukrainian striker made his debut late in the game. Cardiff boss Erol Bulut made one change, in his case to the side that beat Coventry City in midweek, with Yakou Meite replacing Ollie Tanner.
The few clear-cut opportunities that were generated in the first 45 minutes were all created by Sunderland, who also controlled the first half. On the quarter-hour, Jobe Bellingham sent a header directly at Alnwick.
Bellingham then played Abdoullah Ba in behind the Cardiff defense inside the penalty area on the right midway through the first half. The Frenchman then cut the ball back for Pritchard on the penalty spot, but his goal-bound effort deflected off a defender and went inches wide of the left post. With four goals in his last three games, in-form winger Clarke caused problems for the opposition whenever he attacked their defense down the left. A few minutes before halftime, he jinked past two defenders to enter the box and hit a low shot that Alnwick did well to deflect away.
With only one long-range shot from Karlan Grant that flew well over the bar and a few other attempts from outside the box that were stopped before they could get close to Anthony Patterson’s goal, Cardiff had little impact on the other end of the field. Sunderland kept up the pressure in the second half, and ten minutes after the break Alnwick was once more on hand to block a low drive from Pritchard.
Neil had a few shots stopped, and Niall Huggins missed the target while being pressed by a defender. In the last 20 minutes, Clarke advanced to the left byline and passed the ball back to Roberts, whose shot was stopped by Alnwick’s legs. When Hume attempted to cross the ball back across goal, the ball bounced off a defender and went out for a corner.
However, Sunderland paid the price for a little lack in focus with three minutes left in the 90-second period. Hume unnecessarily gave up a corner after mishandling a backpass out of play, and McGuinness scored from eight yards out after Ryan Wintle’s left-wing corner kick.
Cardiff had opportunities to end the game as a result of Sunderland’s need to gamble as they sought an equalizer, but Patterson made a good save on Wintle to keep the visitors’ lead at one, and late in injury time, substitute Tanner fired over from inside the area with only Patterson to beat.
How they lined up
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, O’Nien, Ballard, Huggins (Rusyn 88), Bellingham (Aouchiche 62), Neil, Ba (Roberts 62), Pritchard, Clarke, Burstow (Hemir 62). Subs not used: Bishop, Taylor, Seelt, Triantis, Rigg
Booked: Ba, Burstow
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Ng, Goutas, McGuinness, Collins, Wintle (Romeo 90+5), Ralls (Adams 78), Siopis, Meite (Colwill 63), Ugbo (Etete 63), Grant (Tanner 46). Subs not used: Runarsson, Panzo, Rinomhota, Robinson
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