Sunderland 0 Roma 2: Story of the day as Alex Neil's side are beaten in pre-season friendly
and live on Freeview channel 276
After a goalless first half, substitutes Felix Afena-Gyan and Nicolo Zaniolo were on target for the Italian side after the break.
Sunderland will now prepare to return to Wearside before travelling to Dundee United for their next pre-season fixture on Saturday.
Here’s how the game played out.
The Sunderland Echo's coverage of SAFC in Portugal is brought to you in association with Flex Joinery. Visit www.flexjoinery.co.uk for further details.
LIVE: Sunderland vs Roma
Key Events
- Sunderland fall to 2-0 defeat to AS Roma in Albufeira
- SAFC XI: Patterson; Gooch, Winchester, Batth, Cirkin; O’Nien, Matete; Dajaku, Embleton, Diamond; Clarke
- Subs: Hume, Kelly, Johnson, Ballard, Evans, Roberts, Neil, Carney, Pritchard, Spellman, Taylor, Sohna, Richardson
- Substitutes Afena-Gyan and Zaniolo with the second-half goals for Jose Mourinho’s side.
A diplomatic sub...
Sunderland weren’t having much of Mourinho’s complaints but somewhat diplomatically you suspect, Dan Neil comes on for O’Nien with just a minute to half time.
Looks like ref might have had a quick word to make that happen...
Jose on the pitch!
Slightly farcical scenes here.
O’Nien is harshly adjudged to have made a foul for an aerial challenge. Jose is now on the pitch - asking for another yellow for the midfielder. There wasn’t much in it - but Roma are going to have to make a sub here.
Ibanez off - Calafiori on. A decent sub to be able to make.
Not far off
Nice play from Sunderland, Embleton floats the cross in but it’s just too close to the keeper in the end.
33 mins - post!
It’s the set piece to the back that is again almost Sunderand’s undoing.
Glorious delivery from Veretout - Smalling in unmarked but can only strike the post.
Luke O’Nien then gets a yellow for a crunching challenge, and we have a bit of aggro near the centre circle.
Bizarre.
Clarke challenges Kumballae and gets the ball. Ref blows for a foul and the defender claims he’s been kicked. Nothing in it, ref having none of it.
Impressive
Matete challenges Karsdorp and though there’s no foul, we have a brief pause as the Swede gets some treatment. Matete has been really good so far, his pressing has been top notch.
Drinks break
Best chance so far has gone to Shomurodov at the back post.
Sunderland hae more than held their own so far, solid enough defensively and tidy on the ball. But they’re not finding it easy to break down Roma’s defensive structure. Matic, Smalling and Veretout in particular been very good so far.
20 minute update
Sunderland have actually had more of the ball than Roma, but without Ross Stewart they havent been able to make much of an impression in the final third.
Roma have looked sluggish at times but definitely more incisive.
Nice spell from Sunderland
A good couple of minutes on the ball ends with Diamond seeing a shot deflected wide.
Excellent corner from Embleton, but Roma are able to clear.
Good defending
Roma’s transition is so good, they get three or four players right on the Sunderand defence straight away.
That early ball comes off yet again, and Batth has to block well from Shomurodov.
Dangerous corner, Dajaku nods over his own crossbar. Shomurodov really should then head in at the back post, but can only put it over the bar. Best chance of the game so far, that.