Sunderland seized three crucial Premier League points against Wolves
For a while in this second half, Régis Le Bris would have worried that his warning was all to prescient.
Imploring his side not to take Wolves lightly, he pointed out that they had been just a little more clinical in the last two games then they would have beaten both Brighton and Spurs. Scoring the second goal, he said, was key in this league. Sunderland looked as if they might be punished for the same error for large periods of a tough second half here, in which Wolves dominated but couldn't a finish. Deep into stoppage time, a breakaway from Wolves' own corner ended up in that second Le Bris so craved.
The Black Cats, as they do so well, dug in and dug deep to preserve another clean sheet and seize three points that already feel priceless at this early stage of the season. It was their reward, in fairness, for a dominant first half hour in which they had impressed and taken the lead through Nordi Mukiele.
Both sides started the game perhaps a little impacted by nerves given the stakes at play, Marshall Munetsi wasting a rare error from Granit Xhaka and blazing an effort well wide inside the first five minutes. After some initially sloppy touches, however, Sunderland assumed a strong level of control on the contest. They though they had the lead when Wilson Isidor sprung in behind and smashed an excellent effort into the roof of the net on his weaker left foot, but the offside flag was promptly raised and a very brief VAR check confirmed the decision.
Sunderland were now beginning to dominate, not creating hatfuls of chances but pushing Wolves back to the edge of their own box through some composed play and a raft of set peices that stopped the visitors getting out. And if there was some concern that Le Bris's decision to play two right-footers on the left might make the Black Cats a little one dimensional, in fact both Hume and Le Fee drifting infield causes Wolves problems. It was key to the first and deserved goal for Sunderland, which came perhaps inevitably from a long throw. Wolves defended the initial ball from Mukiele well, but the defender stayed out on the left flank and when Xhaka's chipped pass found Le Fee, the visitors were vulnerable. Le Fee still had much to do, spinning away beautifully from Doherty and catching him out again by cutting a pass back rather than smashing in the cross. He found Hume in that pocket, and his 1-2 with Mukiele was excellent. The defender bore down on goal and shot straight at Johnstone, but the Wolves goalkeeper could only turn into his own goal.
Sunderland continued to dominate, more and more set plays putting Wolves under pressure. They were within inches of a second when Ballard flicked on another Mukiele throw, Hume striking the post with a diving header at the back post. At this stage it felt like a matter of when not if, but a couple of sloppy passes just broke the wave of pressure and allowed Wolves to edge up the pitch. It made the final ten minutes of the half edgier than it needed to be as Wolves started to move the ball in dangerous areas, but the lead at the break was deserved. Wolves had not had a shot on target, and registered and XG of just 0.1.
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Within five minutes of the second, that was significantly higher. Sunderland were fortunate that when twice they were opened up down their right flank, both Joao and then Rodrigo Gomes hit efforts wide from the decent positions. Wolves were dominating possession and finding it too easy to play through the lines, highlighting the fragility of Sunderland's hard-earned advantage. The hosts were struggling to get of their own defensive third and given the level of pressure an equaliser felt inevitable. Le Bris had seen enough to agree, bringing on Chemsdine Talbi to move Le Fee infield and Rigg out to the right.
The changed did not make an immediate difference to the momentum as Roefs saved smartly from Munetsi's volley, though Sunderland were inches away from a second when Le Fee whipped a stunning cross the back post that Ballard was inches away from meeting and converting.
Le Bris switched to a back three for added defensive protection and though it initially took the sting out of the contest, Wolves would go on to spurn another couple of good opportunities, particularly fortunate when substitute Jackson Tchatchoua burst through on goal but connected poorly and turned his effort wide. Six minutes of stoppage time posed danger but Sunderland wrapped up the point when breaking clear from a corner. Talbi drove infield and though Krejci met his attempted pass across goal, he could only divert past Johnstone.
It was not a vintage performance from Sunderland, particularly not in the second half, but it was a day when the result was all important. And they again showed their prowess in defending their box, something that means you need only moments of quality to win. They had that.
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