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Sunderland began the year with a statement 2-1 victory against promotion rivals Sheffield United at the Stadium of Light, ending a 20-year run without a league victory against the Blades.
Sheffield United striker Kieffer Moore missed from the spot just 13 minutes in on a day that Leeds and Burnley dropped points earlier in the afternoon – and a manic nine minutes soon after captured the pulsating nature of the first half.
Eliezer Mayenda punished Jack Robinson’s lax defending to open the scoring, before Luke O’Nien headed the ball into the back of his own net, but Wilson Isidor restored Sunderland’s lead before the break (35) and it proved the winner.
Three goals in the game could have easily been more with both sides contributing to an entertaining clash with missed opportunities at both ends.
Regis Le Bris extended his unbeaten home run to 12 since taking charge of Sunderland. Their win moves them within two points of the Blades in the race for the automatic promotion positions, while Chris Wilder’s side slumped to a third successive game without a victory, missing the opportunity to close in on table-toppers Leeds.
The Blades, wearied by an injury crisis, were in charge of the early exchanges and could have taken the lead after Moore was dragged down by O’Nien in the Sunderland area. Moore’s spot-kick was saved by Anthony Patterson, in a moment that sparked Sunderland into life.
Moments later, the home side had the lead as Mayenda capitalised on a questionable touch from Robinson to run through one-on-one to slot through the opener. Gustavo Hamer responded to his side’s setback by forcing the issue in the hopes of regaining control.
Sheffield United found an equaliser as Hamer’s cross into the area cannoned off O’Nien’s head into his own goal. But just like the penalty save, Sunderland found life after the score levelled as Le Bris’ side charged up the field to allow Isidor to take the ball past Anel Ahmedhodzic and fire his side back into the lead.
While there were no goals after the half-time interval, the two sides both continued to threaten the opposition net with chances galore.
Rhian Brewster came close to an equaliser but dragged his effort wide just past the hour mark. Jobe Bellingham also nearly joined the goalscoring fun but fluffed his lines by firing over the bar from inside the penalty area.
The final minutes were just as frantic as the first, with the Blades taking charge to muster something from the game. However, their efforts were to no avail, and their last attempt to scramble the ball was smothered by Patterson in stoppage time.
The managers
Sunderland’s Regis Le Bris:
“I’m happy for the group players, staff and fans because it was a tough game. Sheffield played a really good game and were difficult to face with their possession. We played a different kind of game because we had a different line-up with more speed and less control of the ball. We were dangerous in behind and we could win the game like that.
“The team worked hard and we felt the connection between players and fans who were impressive. They helped us in the parts of the game that were difficult.
“With that speed, we can always threaten in behind. Now it’s a question of balance, when we can control the ball and when we can use that weapon, it wasn’t perfect but maybe we were tired. It’s not about hype [after the win], it’s just another game.”
Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder:
“An interesting day of championship football, some winners some losers. We have to put ourselves in the bracket of not getting anything, but credit to them, they defended with their lives in the end.
“We piled it on, we just didn’t find that quality. It was very unlike us in terms of the goals we conceded, very poor goals.”
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