SUNDERLAND suffered the second defeat of their North American tour as they were beaten 3-1 by Mexican side Club Pachuca in Sacramento.
Jack Rodwell opened the scoring after just four minutes, but the Black Cats’ defensive frailties were in evidence again as they were overhauled by committed opponents.
With new signing Jeremain Lens not involved, Rodwell fired Sunderland into an early lead as he received possession 30 yards from goal, strode forward, and drove a fierce low strike into the corner.
The former England international went close with another long-range effort shortly after, but Pachuca levelled in the 15th minute as Ariel Nahuelpan nodded a right-wing cross beyond goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The Mexican side claimed the lead midway through the first half, with full-back Adam Matthews and Pickford both at fault.
Matthews failed to close down Hirving Lozano on Pachuca’s left-hand side, and Pickford reacted sluggishly as Nahuelpan claimed his second goal of the game at the back post.
Heriberto Olvera struck the woodwork with a first-half free-kick, as Lozano profited from some poor positioning from Billy Jones to outpace Wes Brown and strike home.
Pickford saved Ruben Botla’s penalty after John O’Shea was harshly adjudged to have fouled Nahuelpan, and while Dick Advocaat will hardly be too concerned at his side’s back-to-back defeats in the United States, he will be demanding an improvement in performance when Sunderland head to Canada to take on Toronto FC next week.
Sunderland: Pickford; Matthews, O’Shea, Brown, Jones; Rodwell, Cattermole, Giaccherini (Larsson 46); Wickham (Watmore 66), Fletcher (Graham 66), Defoe.
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