The young Black Cats stormed into the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 win over Brighton – their best run in the competition since 2008.
Sunderland Under-18s have reached the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals for the first time since Jordan Henderson featured in the 2008 side that made it to the semi-finals.
Fin Lynch and Jordan Moore’s young Black Cats produced an emphatic 4-1 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion at Eppleton on Tuesday night to book a last-eight meeting with Manchester United. Tom Proctor, Marcus Neill and Finn Geragusian struck inside the opening 27 minutes to put Sunderland firmly in control. Although Charlie Forsyth was later dismissed and Brighton pulled a goal back, Geragusian’s second of the evening ensured safe passage through to the next round.
Seven players involved in Friday’s Under-21 fixture at Everton were named in the starting XI, while first-year scholar Joe Cowan kept his place in goal after his penalty shoot-out heroics in the previous round. After Bayley Hester tested Brighton goalkeeper Liam Doyle early on, Sunderland opened the scoring in spectacular fashion when Proctor curled a free-kick into the top corner.
The lead was doubled just over ten minutes later following a slick attacking move. Charlie Dinsdale drove forward before the ball found Felix Scott, who squared for Neill to guide a composed finish into the bottom left corner. Geragusian added a third before the half-hour mark, capitalising after Liam Hunt won possession high up the pitch. The Armenian forward saw his effort strike the post before nestling in the net.
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Sunderland’s task became more complicated when Forsyth received a second yellow card for pulling Adam Brett back as Brighton launched an attack. The visitors responded with 20 minutes remaining when Brett converted from close range after Tyler Silsby’s initial effort was saved by Cowan. Silsby later forced another sharp stop from the Sunderland keeper as Brighton searched for a way back into the contest.
However, Sunderland sealed their place in the quarter-finals when Geragusian reacted quickest to fire home after Archie Lightfoot’s shot had been parried. The young Black Cats will now face Manchester United in the last eight, with fixture details to be confirmed.
Sunderland U18: Cowan; Lienard, Forsyth, Holcroft (Bowman 75’), Hester (Burns 83’), Hunt, Dinsdale (Barker 90+2’), Proctor, Geragusian, Scott (Campbell 88’), Neill (Burns 63’)
Subs not used: Robertson, Struk
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