Goal:
1-0 Eze (62, a composed finish past Lee Camp after playing a one-two with Matt Smith which worked in spite of Smith’s clumsy touch)
Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside) Showed impressive judgement throughout. All the bookings were correct, as was the decision to send off Jason Steele for a blatant handball. 8
Bookings: Freeman (61, foul), O’Shea (70, foul), Onuoha (84, foul)
Sending-off: Steele (49, deliberate handball)
Attendance: 14,216
Entertainment: ***
QUEENS PARK RANGERS (4-3-3): Smithies 5; Furlong 6, Onuoha 6, Robinson 6 (Lynch 46, 7), Bidwell 6; Luongo 7, Scowen 6, Freeman 7; Smyth 6 (Osayi-Samuel 72, 8), Smith 6, EZE 7 (Manning 89, 6). Subs (not used): Ingram (gk), Cousins, Washington, Wszolek.
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):
4 Steele: Secure with his handling in the first half, but his misjudgement of a long clearance let down his teammates and ultimately cost the game;
5 Matthews: Struggled to know whether to run with Eze or pass him on
6 Kone: Solid enough and won plenty of headers. Trouble was, he didn’t seem to think about where he was directing them
7 O’Shea: Given an injection to play, a valiant effort to defy the limitations of a dead leg
5 Oviedo: Could have been braver in the tackle and possession, especially in the first half when the game was up for grabs
6 Cattermole: Couldn’t have given any more effort and kept cajoling his teammates
6 Ejaria: It is asking a lot of a 20-year-old with next to no experience to control the midfield;
7 Williams: Tireless, but too often chasing lost causes
7 Asoro: Began just behind Fletcher, but was moved to the right when Williams came off
8 HONEYMAN: Seemed determined to make up for Sunderland’s one-man disadvantage all by himself;
4 Fletcher: Woefully short on confidence, dithering and losing the chance to shoot.
Subs
8 Camp (for Asoro 51): In the firing line from the moment he came on.
6 McGeady (for Williams 30): His impact on the game just fell short.
6 Maja (for Fletcher 87): Given a rousing reception by Sunderland fans.
Subs not used: Jones, Gooch, Robson, McManaman.
MAN OF THE MATCH: George Honeyman: Matched his massive heart with an intelligent reading of the game.
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