Sunderland Under-23s 2 PSV Eindhoven 0: Cats go top of European group

Elliot Embleton and Joel Asoro scored in the second half after a closely fought opening 45 minutes to ensure Sunderland maintained their 100 per cent start.

Max Stryjek was relied upon to help weather an intense PSV spell of pressure before Embleton opened the scoring at the Stadium of Light after 69 minutes.

Joel Asoro wheeled away down the right before unselfishly squaring the ball to Embleton.

PSV continued to cause problems but Damian van Bruggen failed to hit the target from six yards and Asoro made the visitors pay, the 17-year-old slotting home George Honeyman’s assist.

Victory saw Sunderland rise to the top of Group A, three points clear of Benfica who they beat in their opening game.

Coach Andy Welsh said: “I’m very proud of the players because they worked really, really hard when we didn’t have the ball.

“PSV are a very good technical outfit which we knew they would be. Overall it was a fantastic performance. It was very, very tight in the opening half but after the break we stepped up the gas a little bit and improved our play in and around the box.”

Sunderland: Stryjek, J Robson (Brady, 80), T Robson, Brady, Ledger, Embleton, E Robson, Asoro, Honeyman, Maja (Nelson, 87), Molyneux (Lawson, 71) Subs not used: Wright, Talbot, Blinco, Pybus, Casey

PSV: Van Osch, Kardes, Van Bruggen, Wijs (Alberto, 67), Carolina, Rosario, Gudmundsson, Paal, Lammers, Da Silva (Piroe, 77), Verreth. Subs not used: Abels, Deng, Rommens, van de Meulenhof