Sunderland U21s were back in action at the Stadium of Light as they faced Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League Cup semi-final, with a place in the final on the line.
Graeme Murty’s side came into the tie looking to continue an impressive run in the competition, having already seen off Nottingham Forest and Watford in the knockout stages. There was a strong line-up on show, with the likes of Milan Aleksic and Ahmed Abdullahi included as Sunderland aimed to take another step towards silverware.
The young Black Cats had also secured their place in the end-of-season Premier League 2 play-offs in the days leading up to the fixture, adding further context to what has been a promising campaign. Blackburn, meanwhile, arrived on Wearside hoping to upset the hosts and book their own place in the final, setting up what promised to be a competitive and high-stakes encounter under the lights.
After a breathless first half that saw Sunderland lead 3-2, the Black Cats pulled clear after the break to seal a 4-2 win over Blackburn Rovers in the PL Cup semi-final, booking their place in the final thanks to a Jack Whittaker double and goals from brothers Jaydon Jones and Harrison Jones.
Here’s how the Sunderland players rated…
13. Felix Scott
Felix Scott came on with a little under half an hour to play, but didn't manage to impact the game as much as he would have liked, despite working hard and making plenty of runs. 6 | Photo courtesy of Sunderland AFC.
14. Charlie Dinsdale
Charlie Dinsdale came on with just minutes remaining in the semi-final, but had no time to make a difference in the game. N/A | Sunderland AFC
15. Archie Lightfoot
Like Charlie Dinsdale, Archie Lightfoot came on with just minutes remaining in the semi-final, but had no time to make a difference in the game. N/A | Sunderland AFC