IF the near 14,000 supporters who had turned up at the Stadium of Light had hoped to see something special from Sunderland in the EFL Cup, then it duly arrived.
They just had to wait a lot longer than they would have wanted to.
The fans’ patience had already worn thin on a misty night on Wearside when it took a moment of magic from Adnan Januzaj six minutes before the end to seal Sunderland’s place in the third round at the expense of Shrewsbury Town.
Shrewsbury Town's Adam El-Abd (right) and Sunderland's Joel Asoro battle for the ball
The Premier League outfit’s problems, mainly a lack of quality and options ahead of the transfer window closing in a week’s time, were highlighted again as the Black Cats struggled to brush aside League One opposition.
And it was not as if the Shrews were brilliant either, they just dug in and made it hard for Sunderland – who fielded teenager Joel Asoro in attack for the full 90 minutes.
In fact Shrewsbury might have even forced the tie to extra-time had substitute George Waring’s diving header from inside six yards been on target.
In the end David Moyes, the Sunderland manager, was indebted to Januzaj’s screamer.
The Belgian powered in a rocket drive with an extra half-an-hour on the horizon after 84 minutes.
After two league defeats in a row under Moyes, Sunderland were in need of a lift and a routine night in the EFL Cup.
Shrewsbury Town's Ryan McGivern, (left) and Sunderland's Wahbi Khazri(right) challenge during the EFL Cup
It never arrived, even if they were comfortable enough from the outset but struggled to test the Shrews’ keeper Jayson Leutwiler.
There was no sign of Jermain Defoe in the starting line-up or on the bench, with the manager knowing he has to wrap the predatory striker in cotton wool given the size of his small squad.
Defoe was one of four changes to the starting line-up, with John O’Shea and Vito Mannone both out of the equation because of injuries.
The lack of attacking alternatives to Defoe was highlighted by his replacement. Seventeen-year-old Asoro was asked to lead the line on his own and showed glimpses of his highly-rated talent.
He might have scored inside seven minutes had it not been for defender Gary Deegan’s intervention.
When Asoro was fed a pass from Steven Pienaar, the young Swede turned inside Ryan McGivern and had worked his way ahead of Deegan.
Sunderland's Patrick van Aanholt looks dejected after missing a first half chance during the EFL Cup
At that stage it looked like Asoro’s pace might get him away from the blue and amber shirts, but Deegan hauled him down to avoid him charging clear on goal and that saved Shrewsbury from conceding early.
Other than that Sunderland’s other attempts were free-kicks from Wahbi Khazri and Januzaj which struck walls and didn’t even trouble former Middlesbrough goalkeeper Leutwiler.
That was until moments before the break.
The sight of Pienaar, making his first start for the club since arriving as a free agent, bursting through the middle and firing over the bar lifted spirits, as did Patrick van Aanholt being denied by Leutwiler after a lovely exchange with Asoro, but Sunderland needed a lot more when they emerged for the second half.
Sunderland's Adnan Januzaj (right) holds off Shrewsbury Town's Abu Ogogo
There was still nothing to get excited about, however. The nearest either side came to scoring before the hour was when Ivan Toney turned a corner into Pickford, and then Sunderland attacked down the other end and should have scored.
Leutwiler, though, made a fine save from close range when Asoro’s movement earned him a chance at the near post when he met Januzaj’s low delivery into the penalty area, and then Pickford had to make a one-handed flying stop to turn away a drive from Newcastle loanee Toney.
Sunderland’s large share of possession had even been reduced, when Shrewsbury showed greater confidence on the ball.
But Khazri should have scored when he hit the side-netting from eight yards after he was picked out following a lovely move down the left involving Lynden Gooch and skipper van Aanholt.
And with extra-time looming, that elusive goal finally arrived. Duncan Watmore’s probing run caused panic and when the ball broke to Januzaj, the winger took a touch before firing a right-foot thunderbolt from 20 yards inside Leutwiler’s top right corner.
Asoro almost added a second to cap his night, but Leutwiler was equal to it even if he had worthy claims of a penalty waved away too. Sunderland had already got the job done, just.
Goals: Januzaj (84, 1-0) Bookings: Deegan (7, foul); Sarcevic (29, foul) Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire) 6 Attendance: 13,979
Entertainment: *
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Pickford 7; Love 4, Djilobodji 6, Rodwell 6, van Aanholt 6; McNair 5, Pienaar 6 (Watmore 60, 6); Gooch 7, Khazri 5, JANUZAJ 7; Asoro 6. Subs: Stryjek (gk), E Robson, T Robson, Greenwood, Honeyman, Robson.
SHREWSBURY TOWN (4-4-2): Leutwiler 6; Riley 6, El-Abd 6, Lancashire 7, McGivern 6; Deegan 6, Ogogo 5, Sarcevic 5 (O’Brien 63, 5), Brown 5; Toney 5 (Waring 80), Dodds 5 (Mangan 73). Subs: Halstead, Black, El Ouriachi, Leitch-Smith.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Adnan Januzaj – was far from brilliant but his winning goal was.
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