Sunderland were back in Premier League action against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon
Aston Villa were just about the deserving winner here, but that doesn't even begin to tell the full story.
When Ollie Watkins and John McGinn left the pitch to deserved standing ovations in the last ten minutes, their team were 3-1 up and in complete control. Sunderland had been spirited and played some good football, but had been outclassed in the final third.
The changes sparked a remarkable and immediate turnaround, Sunderland scoring twice inside a minute to level the scores. They looked like winning it minutes into stoppage time when Habib Diarra ran through on goal, but the midfielder couldn't convert and Villa scored moments later.
Clinical finishing was in the end the difference here.
Having booked their place in the Europa League final on Thursday night, Aston Villa came into the game full of confidence and were ahead inside two minutes when John McGinn's run into the box wasn't tracked. He crossed first time to the back post, where Ollie Watkins headed in from a matter of yards.
To their credit Sunderland were unnerved, pressing high and man for man all over the pitch. The hosts struggled initially to find their way through the press and Sunderland had good moments of promise, a coupe of shooting opportunities just passing them by. So it was by no means against the run of play when they levelled - Chris Rigg had been lively and shown good footwork and took his moment brilliantly when Sadiki teed him up inside in the box, curling an effort beyond Martinez and into the far corner.
The visitors were fortunate when Onana headed a corner off the underside of the bar from a matter of yards, but this was an even contest with Sunderland often on the front foot. Villa gradually began to assert control as the half developed, seeing more of the ball and getting in areas where they could show their quality. Roefs didn't have a great deal to do, but was left with no chance when Rogers showed real quality to slide in Maatsen on the overlap. His first-time cross into the box was unstoppable, and headed home by Watkins at close range.
Sunderland had competed well and went close to another equaliser when Sadiki had an effort deflected wide, but had been punished ruthlessly for not tracking two runs from wide into their box.
That ruthless streak was on show again moments into the second half, a moment of seemingly little danger turning into a goal as Reinildo was robbed by John McGinn just inside the Villa half. The hosts swept forward and an excellent first-time pass from Watkins found Rogers, who finished confidently into the far corner. Villa’s conviction in forward areas had simply been too good, and left Le Bris’s side with a mountain to climb.
Sunderland knew they were now faced with something of a nightmare scenario, forced to chase the game against an opponent with pace to burn on the break. They were fortunate that the hosts didn’t make the most of some very promising moments as Watkins continued to threaten.
Villa looked in complete control even if Sunderland had promising spells, and it was a real lapse from substitute Sancho to lose the ball to Le Fee with five minutes to play. Hume took advantage and fired an effort into the far corner, with Le Fee winning possession from Sancho immediately from the restart. He slid through Isidor who finished emphatically, sending the away end into delirium.
Then came the defining moments of the game, Sunderland springing Villa's high line once again as Diarra raced through. Bearing down on goal he opted for a chip, Martinez sticking out a hand to save. The hosts swept down the other end and snatched the winner when a cross from the left was turned home by substitute Tammy Abraham.
It was a result that the visitors just about deserved, but it's a loss that Sunderland will rue having showed such spirit to get back into it.
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