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.
What to make of that side as Hume starts
It’s three changes for Sunderland from the side which started against Cambridge on Saturday.
Trai Hume is the big surprise looking at the starting XI as the 20-year-old comes in to make just his third Black Cats appearance - his second under Neil.
Jay Matete and Callum Doyle have also been recalled to the side, with Elliot Embleton and Patrick Roberts dropping to the bench.
Carl Winchester isn’t in the squad after he was forced off with a groin injury on Saturday.
It looks like Gooch will move into the left wing-back role with Hume coming in on the right.
Luke O’Nien is likely to play just ahead of Matete and Evans in midfield and has been selected ahead of Embleton and Alex Pritchard in the advanced role.
Neil in his pre-match programme notes
“There will never be a game at this club whilst I’m here that isn’t a big game – the demand from the supporters, the players and from me is that we will try to win each and every time we take to the field.
“We will always be bitterly disappointed if we fail to win or if we fail to play well, but over the past 11 games, this group of players has shown that we are very capable.
“We have quality all over the pitch and we have a real determination about what we’re trying to do, so we need to keep going and take care of the next game.”
How things stand
Right then, this is what the table looks like heading into tonight’s matches.
Sheffield Wednesday are also in action at Fleetwood tonight - and only a Sunderland win alongside a Wednesday defeat would see the Black Cats secure their place in the play-offs.
Alex Neil’s side do still have the slimmest of chances of finishing inside the automatic promotion places, but would need a convincing win tonight, and for results to go in their favour on Saturday.
A heavy defeat tonight could see Sunderland drop out of the play-off places on goal difference.
It really is all to play for.
Paul Warne on Sunderland
Here’s what Rotherham boss Paul Warne has had to say about tonight’s match:
“As a player, I’d be thinking ‘brilliant’, playing against a great club, with both teams wanting to win. These are the games you want to play in.
“We go into it in reasonable form and we just have to try and compete. From my point of view it’s an honour to manage a team in that stadium and we want the lads to go out and express themselves and hopefully come away with a win.
On Sunderland, he added: “They’ve done really well and Alex is a great manager, too. He’s really well experienced and at a club that won’t phase him.
“He’s got a team that wants to win and the fans are right behind him. Winning seven games out of 10 in any league is some going.
“They’ve got confidence and goals in their team and they will be full of confidence. It’ll be a tough game, but – respectfully – I feel like Alex will be thinking the same about us.”
