JEREMAIN LENS claimed his first goal in a Sunderland shirt as the Black Cats rounded off their pre-season programme with an impressive 1-0 win over German side Hannover.

Dick Advocaat’s side outplayed their Bundesliga opponents for the majority of a reasonably hard-fought friendly, and with Costel Pantilimon making a last-minute penalty save, Lens’ second-half strike proved decisive.

The Holland international caught the eye as he made his first Sunderland appearance in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Doncaster, and he was the stand-out player on the pitch again in Hannover’s HDI Arena.

Bright and incisive on the left-hand side, he proved he possesses a clinical finish as he found the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards, and while Sunderland are still expected to bring in at least one more attacking player before the transfer window closes, Lens’ performances are likely to prove crucial in the new campaign following his £8m move from Dynamo Kiev.

Today’s game brought an end to Sunderland’s pre-season programme, and while Advocaat hopes to make at least one more addition before next Saturday’s Premier League opener at Leicester City – French midfielder Yann M’Vila has emerged as a leading target - the side that lined up in Germany is likely to be extremely similar to the one that starts at the King Power Stadium next weekend.

New signing Younes Kaboul partnered Sebastian Coates at the heart of the back four in preference to John O’Shea, who was on the substitutes’ bench, while Jermain Defoe played as the central striker with Lens and Adam Johnson on either side of him.

Lens and Defoe linked up effectively as early as the second minute, but while the former’s through ball released the latter into the right-hand side of the area, his snapshot flew into the side netting.

Defoe was Sunderland’s liveliest player in the early exchanges, but the game quickly settled into a typically sedate pre-season tempo with neither side looking particularly threatening before the break.

Hannover went close when Sunderland’s defence failed to clear a tenth-minute corner, but Kenan Karaman’s low shot was well gathered by Pantilimon.

Felix Klaus sliced a shot wide after being released into the inside-right channel, before Pantilimon was forced to produce the save of the game to keep the scoresheet blank midway through the first half.

Edgar Prib cut in from the left-hand side, and his low drive was heading into the bottom corner before Pantilimon tipped it around the post.

Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler was forced into his first save moments later, gathering a low strike from Adam Johnson, and while Seb Larsson also dragged a shot wide before the interval, Sunderland rarely got enough attacking players into the box to trouble the Hannover back four.

That almost changed seven minutes after the interval, but while Jack Rodwell did well to force himself into the right-hand side of the area, Zieler got down well to tip the ball around the post.

Rodwell was in action at the other end shortly after the hour mark, blocking a goalbound effort from Hannover substitute Allan Saint-Maximin, and the former England international’s busy display rounded off a successful pre-season for a player who needs to live up to his billing in the new campaign.

Lens has been the stand-out performer in each of Sunderland’s final two pre-season games, and the Holland international claimed his first goal for the Black Cats with 17 minutes remaining.

His refusal to give up on what appeared to be a lost cause paid dividends as he dispossessed Hannover midfielder Salif Sane in the opposition half, and after advancing towards the area, he drilled a crisp 20-yard drive into the bottom left-hand corner.

Pantilimon held on to a Sane pile-driver to ensure Sunderland’s lead remained intact, and the Romanian produced another important stop with three minutes left as he acrobatically tipped Charlison Benschop’s rising drive over the crossbar.

His best moment, however, was reserved for stoppage time. John O’Shea looked to have done nothing wrong as he challenged Benschop for possession in the box, but the referee inexplicably awarded a penalty to the hosts.

Benschop took it, but Pantilimon got down to his left to keep the ball out, and then raced from his line to deny Andre Hoffmann. Given how soft the penalty award had been, justice was served.

Hannover (4-4-1-1): Zieler; Sakai, Schulz (Hoffmann 68), Felipe, Sorg; Klaus (Saint-Maximin 53), Schmeidebach, Sane, Prib (Benschop 68); Karaman; Erdinc.

Subs (not used): Tschauner (gk), Albornoz, Gulselam, Sobiech, Hirsch, Marcelo, Anton.

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pantilimon; Jones, Coates, Kaboul (O’Shea 56), van Aanholt; Larsson, Cattermole (Giaccherini 56), Rodwell; Johnson, Defoe, Lens.

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Matthews, Bridcutt, Graham, Watmore.