Sunderland 1 Rangers 0 RECAP: Game called off after Luke O'Nien goal in pre-season friendly
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The Black Cats took a first-half lead when Luke O’Nien converted Alex Pritchard’s in-swinging corner, yet a power cut at Estadio Municipal de Albufeira meant the match wasn’t able to resume.
Both sets of players returned to the pitch and waited over 30 minutes before the game was called off.
Here’s how the first half played out:
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LIVE: Sunderland vs Rangers
Key Events
- Sunderland lead Rangers 1-0 at half time through a Luke O’Nien goal
- We’ll have live updates and analysis from Estadio Municipal de Albufeira in Portugal.
- SAFC XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkn; Evans, Neil; Roberts, Pritchard, Embleton; Stewart
- Rangers XI: McLaughlin; Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic; Davis, Arfield; Kent, Lundstram, Wright; Colak
Still no luck...
Getting to the stage now where it’s not easy to see the pitch from the stands.
Still no change.
The latest from Albufeira
The players are still on the pitch for now - but still no sign of any power.
Getting very dark now and we’re already about ten minutes delayed.
Not good at the moment
We’ve got no power at all at the ground by the looks of it.
Light fading rapidly. Alex Neil chatting with the ref and Rangers officials.
Floodlights have gone down just as the players come back to the pitch.
Going to be a delay here. The light has faded quickly so don’t think we can realistically play until the power is back.
HT ratings..
As it’s going so well...
ANTHONY PATTERSON - Not had much to do but was quick off his line when Colak burst through. 6
TRAI HUME - Some nice forward runs and defended well - looked good. 7
DAN BALLARD - Made the tackle of the half to stop Wright in his tracks. Looked tough and defended well, excellent start. 8
LUKE O’NIEN - Had a stormer of a half, to be honest. Got the goal, moved it quickly and crunched into some huge challenges. Sometimes he looks like a natural CB. 9
DENNIS CIRKIN - Nearly scored after one great run. Looked bright. 7
CORRY EVANS - Picked up where he left off. Couple of good forward runs and snuffed out danger when required. 7
DAN NEIL - Started very brightly, maybe faded a little as the half went on. Some nice play with those in front of him. 7
PATRICK ROBERTS - Looks a proper threat, drew one brilliant save from McLaughlin. 8
ALEX PRITCHARD - Looked the best player on the pitch in the first 45. So intelligent in the way he makes those runs and moves the ball. 9
ELLIOT EMBLETON - Linked up well and been a threat, should have scored when he broke into the box.
ROSS STEWART - Slow start but has got better and better since then. 6
HALF TIME
Sunderland will be really pleased.
Rangers have had one or two dangerous moments on the break but Sunderland have generally been the better side.
Pressing excellent, and some nice one-twos between that front four. So far, so good.
Lovely football
Roberts shapes to shoot but it’s a lovely dummy to instead release Pritchard. Katic does well to block the shot.
Rangers threaten
Just over five minutes to go until half time.
Better from Rangers, finally working an overlap for Tavernier. Cirkin recovers well to block the cross, and that’s a top leap from Trai Hume from the corner.
Pritchard wins a foul on the break, clever play from the best player on the pitch in the first half so far.
34 mins - big chance!
Embleton will feel he should score from there.
Rangers too loose playing out from the back, and the SUnderland press works well. Embleton gets into a good position but blazes over.
Sunderland caught out at the other end, but Patterson is off his line quickly to prevent Colak from scoring. That was good goalkeeping.