Birmingham 1 Sunderland 2: Highlights after Ellis Simms and Amad Diallo goals give Cats win
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The Black Cats took a first-half lead when Amad set up Ellis Simms to score in the 25th minute.
Birmingham saw more of the ball but fell further behind when Amad scored an excellent second for the Black Cats, converting in front of the travelling fans.
Substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz then pulled a goal back for Birmingham 12 minutes from time but Sunderland were able to hold on.
Here’s how the game played out:
RECAP: Birmingham 1 (Jutkiewicz, 78) Sunderland 2 (Simms, 25) (Amad, 48)
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, Wright, Batth, Huggins, Evans, Neil, Amad (Roberts, 65), Pritchard (Embleton, 84) , Clarke, Simms (Matete, 84)
- Subs: Bass, Johnson, Matete, Ba, Bennette, Roberts, Embleton
- Birmingham XI: Ruddy, Colin (Hall, 58) , Sanderson, Trusty, Longelo, Bielik (James, 87), Hannibal (Chong, 58), Bacuna, Bellingham (Jutkiewicz, 58), Hogan, Deeney
- Subs: Etheridge, Friend, Graham, James, Hall, Chong, Jutkiewicz
What to make of that side
So it’s four changes from the side which started against Cardiff last time out.
Trai Hume, Niall Huggins, Corry Evans and Alex Pritchard are the players who come in.
It will be Huggins’ first senior appearance for over a year following multiple injury setbacks.
Dennis Cirkin is out with an injury, yet it isn’t thought to be a serious one, while Luke O’Nien is suspended.
Abdoullah Ba and Patrick Roberts both drop to the bench.
Sunderland’s injuries means 18-year-old defender Zak Johnson has been called up to the squad and named on the bench.
Birmingham have made two changes following their 2-2 draw with Swansea last time out, with 17-year-old Jobe Bellingham making his first league start.
Former Sunderland defender Dion Sanderson also starts for the hosts.
5’ Big save from Ruddy
Birmingham had knocked a few passes around in the early exchanges, but Sunderland could have taken the lead there.
Pritchard released Neil on the left and the latter’s cross found Amad in the box.
Ruddy came off his line quickly to thwart the forward.
The Birmingham keeper then made another save moments later after Pritchard’s free-kick hit the wall, before his second attempt was held by Ruddy.
8’ Off the bar!
Deeney hits the bar for Birmingham after a short corner which was eventually delivered into the box.
Sanderson flicked the cross on before Deeney made contact with the ball.
Sunderland got away with one there.
14’ A pause in play
Sunderland have some time to compose themselves as Wright receives treatment following an elbow to the face.
It’s been a tough start for the visitors who have been put under pressure from set plays.
Wright is now back on his feet and is about to come back on.