• Date: Sat 29 September 2007
  • Venue: Stadium of Light
  • Ref: Walton, P
  • Attendance: 41,252
Sunderland

Sunderland

Leadbitter (90)

1 - 2
Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers

Bentley (53)

Santa Cruz (55)

Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers

Team Lineups

Sunderland

Craig Gordon
Nyron Nosworthy
Danny Higginbotham
Paul McShane
Grant Leadbitter
Liam Miller
Ross Wallace (David Connolly, 65)
Danny Collins
Dwight Yorke (Daryl Murphy, 66)
Michael Chopra (Roy O'Donovan, 66)
Kenwyne Jones

Blackburn Rovers

Brad Friedel
Christopher Samba
Stephen Warnock
Aaron Mokoena
Andre Ooijer
Brett Emerton
David Bentley
Kerimoglu Tugay (Robbie Savage, 75)
David Dunn (Maceo Rigters, 86)
Matt Derbyshire (Morten Gamst Pedersen, 66)
Roque Santa Cruz


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

The whistle goes and that late Sunderland goal isn't enough as Rovers seal all 3 points from the Stadium of Light after 2 goals in 2 minutes.

90

Nervous times for both sides here, and Hughes wont be happy that he is waiting out on the game like this when it should have been wrapped up a little while ago.

90

There are FOUR minutes of stoppage time!

89
Goal
 

Leadbitter has scored! Probably Sunderland's best player today deserved that goal, and his effort from the edge of the box has given the home team some hope!

87

Santa Cruz gets a strong header in on goal, but the effort goes just over the bar, unlucky there for Rovers.

84
Substitution
 

David Dunn comes off and Maceo Rigters replaces him.

84

Sunderland have gained 5 of their 8 points this season after scoring late on, so the game isn't over yet for the Black Cats.

82

Cruz tries to capatilise on a Sunderland error, but he cant, and the play turns into nothing as the ball goes out of play.

80

Blackburn have a man down, but Sunderland carry on, Rovers will look to see this out and hope Bentley hasn't sustained an injury.

77

The game seems to be swinging towards Rovers at the moment, though Mark Hughes wont be so confident just yet.

74
Substitution
 

Kerimoglu Tugay is taken off and replaced by Robbie Savage.

71

Tuguy was down for a while there and with an important European game on thursday, Tuguy is a man Rovers certainly need fit.

69

Keane has made a very brave decision in bringing on all 3 subs at once, the question is, will it pay off or will Rovers hold out?

66
Substitution
 

Matt Derbyshire comes off as Morten Gamst Pedersen comes on.

65
Substitution
 

Wallace, Yorke and Chopra all come off in a bold triple substitution as Connolly, Murphy and Donovan all come on.

64
Yellow Card
 

Danny Collins is booked for a foul a couple of minutes ago, the referree was just waiting for play to stop before he booked the player.

63

Blackburn lose the ball too easily, and they just need to play it simple from this moment on, there's no need to invite more pressure on themselves.

60

And in the space of a couple of minutes, the game has completley changed, and what must Roy Keane be thinking now!

58

Gordon makes a great save and has kept the slim lifeline that the home side have at the moment.

55
Goal
 

Santa Cruz volleys home! And what a deverstating spell of football from Blackburn there, Brett Emerton headed the ball across and it was Cruz, who having just assisted the first goal, now scores the second.

53
Goal
 

David Bentley scores! The midfielder fires home from 12 yards out after the ball fell kindly to him after Santa Cruz had produced some good work and had his inital shot deflected.

51

The home crowd are certainly well voiced but their side cant seem to respond.

47

Neither side has made any tatical changes at the break, and after such a good performance against Birmingham during the week, away fans must be wondering what has happened to their side.

Second half
 

The game restarts and will both teams change their approach to this game? The fans, for one, will certainly hope so.

Half time
 

The whistle goes and the teams go into the break in a game with few real chances, though Sunderland will feel they deserved a penalty 5 minutes before half time.

45

There will be two minutes of time to be added on.

42

Sunderland have risen their tempo in the last few minutes, and the passionate home crowd are right benhind them.

40

Sunderland appeal loudly for a penalty after Chopra appears to be brought down by Freidel, but referee Walton gives a corner instead.

38

Derbyshire recieves the ball through a lucky deflection of a Sunderland defender, and he twists and shoots, but the effort is just wide.

36

Dunn beats a couple of players and plays a good through ball, but it has just too much on it and Santa Cruz cant reach the pass.

34

Rovers are playing some decent football as they show a good array of long range passes.

31

Warnock and a Sunderland player both receive treatment and there is a couple of minutes break in play that will no doubt be added on at the end.

30

Stephen Warnock was down injured but play continued anyway, but luckily for Rovers, Sunderland cant make anything of the situation.

27

Leadbitter again has another strike on goal from long range, but it's too close to Freidel, and the Amercian comfortably saves.

24

Leadbitter has a couple of bites at the cherry as he attempts a shot on goal, but the number of defenders back for Rovers mean that he is unable to.

22

Rover's first corner of the game is a rather tame effort, and the ball goes safely into the Sunderland's goalkeeper's hands.

20

David Bently recieves boo's from the home fans, and it seems people still haven't forgiven or forgotton about Bentley's decision to opt out of the England squad a few months ago.

16

Nyron Nosworthy commits a foul on Santa Cruz, but instead of a booking, the referee decides on just a talking to.

12

Leadbitter puts in a good corner, but Friedel does well to punch it clear, Sunderland get back the ball, but cant get it back in the box as the chance goes.

10

Brad Friedel is making his 120th consecutive start in the Premier League today, the sequence started back in the 04/05 season.

7

Andre Ooijer makes a good tackle in the Rovers box and breaks up a Sunderland attack.

5

A relatively slow start to this game as neither side has been able to get a real chance in on goal.

2

There has been just as much talk about the respective managers along with the match today as Roy Keane and Mark Hughes both ex-United players go head-to-head.

Kickoff
 

Peter Walton is the referee for this afternoon's game at the Stadium of Light, and visitors Blackburn will be looking to continue their good form from midweek's Carling Cup victory.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Benni McCarthy is out the squad while Savage and Pedersen are on the bench as Rovers start with: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Bentley, Kerimoglu, Mokoena, Dunn, Derbyshire, Santa Cruz

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Nyron Nosworthy passes a fitness test and starts but Sunderland are missing 7 key players including Andy Cole & Etuht, who is suspended, starting XI: Gordon, McShane, Nosworthy, Higginbotham, Collins, Leadbitter, Yorke, Miller, Wallace, Chopra, Jones