Luke O’Nien and Jack Clarke scored as Sunderland get off to the perfect start to the 2024/25 Championship season.
The game started off relatively equal in terms of play, but Jack Clarke won a free-kick in a dangerous position just after the quarter of an hour mark.
It was a very well worked free-kick, as Patrick Roberts whipped it in to the back post where Dennis Cirkin headed the ball across the face of goal to Like O’Nien to head it in from close range.
The Black Cats saw out the rest of the first-half comfortably and they went into the break 0-1 up.
Sunderland were on the back foot for a lot of the second 45, but due to some terrific team defending, The Bluebirds really struggled to create any clear chamces.
Eliezer Mayender has a huge opportunity just after the hour mark, coming from a brilliant breakaway.
Jobe found Mayenda one on one with the Cardiff ‘keeper, Horvath, but he stuck the ball too close to him and the ‘keeper made a good save.
Cardiff had a few half-chances, 1 coming from a header by the striker, Kanga, but it was straight at Anthony Patterson.
With 2 minutes of normal time remaining, Jobe broke forward and played in Jack Clarke on the left, and he scored a typical Jack Clarke goal, as he cut into the box and curled in a brilliant strike.
Sunderland now sit in 3rd in the Championship, making it a brilliant start to the campaign for new head-coach, Regis Le Bris, who seemed to get it just right this afternoon.
MoTM – Dennis Cirkin
It’s so good to see him back playing after so long out with injuries, but he displayed some great defensive work, got an assist and looked a threat on the left-hand side with Clarke all afternoon.