City´s late flurry stuns Sunderland

AFP - 12 April 2008 19:24

Sunderland´s midfielder Michael Chopra (R) tries to catch Manchester City´s defender Sun Jihai during their Premier league football match at The Sadium Of Light in Sunderland. Manchester City won the match 2-1.

SUNDERLAND, England (AFP) - Three goals in the last 11 minutes at the Stadium of Light here Saturday brought an otherwise mundane Premier League clash to life as Manchester City snatched an undeserved 2-1 win away to Sunderland.

Elano and Darius Vassell scored either side of a Dean Whitehead volley as a previously uneventful fixture suddenly sparked into life.

However, Sunderland manager Roy Keane will feel mightily aggrieved with the inept decision which handed City the initiative after referee Mike Riley awarded a penalty that never was.

City substitute Daniel Sturridge won the controversial spot kick 11 minutes from time after losing his footing inside Sunderland's penalty area under minimal pressure.

Elano stroked home the penalty and, although Whitehead responded within two minutes, Vassell claimed a fortunate winning goal three minutes from time.

Sven Goran Eriksson's multi-national City side may have set the early season pace but results and performances had dipped dramatically of late.

With just one win in seven league games, following a 2-1 victory in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on February 10, the Swedish coach had watched his faltering players fail to beat Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Reading and Wigan Athletic in recent weeks.

And with all four struggling clubs trailing a rejuvenated Sunderland in the race to retain top flight status the odds were stacked against an away triumph on Wearside.

With three successive wins under their belts, the red and whites started brightly and Kieran Richardson's speculative strike from 35 yards after 95 seconds perfectly reflected the new-found confidence within Keane's camp.

For the second season running, Sunderland's rookie Premier League manager is reaping the rewards of astute signings made during January's transfer window and in the former Manchester United defender, Phil Bardsley, and the Republic of Ireland international midfielder, Andy Reid, the Black Cats have unearthed two valuable assets.

Yet it was a player signed from the Championship last summer who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 23rd minute.

Kenwyne Jones has emerged as one of this season's surprise success stories following his move from Southampton and the Trinidadian almost scored his eighth goal of the season only to be denied by City's England Under-21 goalkeeper, Joe Hart.

In employing the Bulawayo-born forward, Benjamin Mwaruwari, as a lone striker former England coach Eriksson was inviting Sunderland forward and when the visitors did gain possession there were few options open to attacking midfielders Martin Petrov and Elano.

City's creative blend of Bulgarian skill and Brazilian guile had underpinned that fabulous start to the season but both Petrov and Elano struggled to impose themselves on a high tempo fixture before the break.

Instead it was the hard running and tenacious tackling of Englishmen Michael Chopra and Whitehead which ensured Sunderland had the upper hand at half-time.

But it was Sturridge, who changed the course of the game towards the end of a dour second-half.

The inexperienced forward found himself at the centre of the match's most controversial moment when he went down in the Sunderland area under pressure from the defender, Nyron Nosworthy.

Television pictures proved there was no contact between the two players but referee Riley pointed to the spot and Elano converted with aplomb.

That decision could have utterly deflated Keane's men but within two minutes Whitehead restored parity with a stunning volley from 12 yards.

In a frantic finish City's second substitute, Vassell, managed to convert a horrible miskick from Elano's through-ball and Sunderland were cruelly denied a share of the points.