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
Great move
Good again from Sunderland, moving it nicely out to Roberts on the right. His cross is met by Stewart but he can only head over the bar.
30 minutes played
Rangers just trying to get on the ball a bit after going behind, but they still haven’t really troubled Sunderland.
GOALLLLLL
From the corner. McLaughlin comes to claim but can’t get there and so it bounces through to Luke O’Nien. He takes a touch and thumps home.
‘We’re gonna win the league,’ the SUnderland fans sing.
They deserve it, I’d say.
Cirkin does brilliantly to trap a long ball on the edge of the box, and his effort is deflected just over the bar.
23 minutes
We’re having a pause midway through the first half for both teams to take a water break, even in the shade it’s still punishing temperatures out here.
Think Sunderland will be happy enough with how they’ve gone, other than that good run from Wright they’ve not been cut open at all. They’ve come closest through that Roberts effort, and have probably played the sharper stuff. But there isn’t a great deal in it so far.
19 mins
Promising move from Sudnerlad sees Corry Evans break into the box but his shot is deflected.
Black Cats have played some nice stuff here, and looked a match for the Europa League finalists.
16 mins
Roberts gets another sight of goal, deflected over the bar.
Pritchard puts the corner in, and the ref blows for a foul on a Rangers defender.
What a tackle!
Dan Ballard that is brilliant.
Wonderful run from Scott Wright, bursting into the box from deep. Ballard is the last defender and he has to get it right, which he does. Crunching tackle.
12 mins - Half a chance
Colak rises highest to meet a Rangers corner but he can’t get enough power on it to really trouble Patterson, who clears the danger.
Nice break from Sunderland, but Neil just can’t find Stewart with a whipped cross from the left flank.