Sunderland 1 Rotherham United 1: Story of the day after Michael Ihiekwe own goal hands Cats a point in League One play-off race
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Rotherham defender Michael Ihiekwe opened the scoring when he headed home a corner in the first half, while Sunderland struggled to create chances in the opening 45 minutes.
Alex Neil made some attacking substitutions in the second half, with Alex Pritchard, Jack Clarke and Elliot Embleton entering the fray.
Yet it took until the 88th minute for the hosts to draw level when Ihiekwe headed Clarke’s cross into his own net.
Here’s how the game played out:
RECAP: Sunderland 1 (Ihiekwe, own goal, 88) Rotherham 1 (Ihiekwe, 17)
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, Batth, Wright, Doyle, Hume (Clarke, 60), Evans, Matete (Embleton, 70), Gooch, O’Nien, Broadhead (Pritchard, 53), Stewart
- Subs: Hoffmann, Xhemajli, Neil, Clarke, Roberts, Embleton, Pritchard
- Rotherham XI: Johansson, Edmonds-Green, Wood, Ihiekwe; Harding, Rathbone (Lindsay, 79), Barlaser, Osei-Tutu (Mattock, 76), Wiles, Ogbene, Smith
- Subs: Chapman, Mattock, Bola, Odoffin, Lindsay, Kayode, Kelly.
60’ SUBSTITUTION: ON: Clarke - OFF: Hume
Trai Hume makes way for Jack Clarke.
An attacking change from Alex Neil.
57’ Where Pritchard has fitted in
It’s still a similar shape for Sunderland with Pritchard and O’Nien playing just behind Stewart.
55’ Frustrations with the referee
‘You’re not fit to referee,’ chant the home fans after Rotherham were awarded a free-kick in the SUnderland half.
It came after a late challenge from Barlaser on O’Nien, which didn’t result in a card.
53’ SUBSTITUTION: ON: Pritchard - OFF: Broadhead
The first change of the night.
Slightly surprising that it’s Broadhead going off.
50’ Over from Evans
That was better from Sunderland - until the shot from Evans which went well over the bar.
It came after Gooch’s cutback from the right.