Sunderland 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Story of the night as Ross Stewart goal puts Cats ahead in League One play-off semi-final

Sunderland will take a 1-0 first-leg lead to Sheffield Wednesday after Ross Stewart scored the only goal of the game at the Stadium of Light.
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Sunderland had chances to double their lead in the second half as Alex Pritchard hit the crossbar.

The hosts were also forced to defend their advantage in the closing stages but held onto their clean sheet.

Here’s how the match played out:

RECAP: Sunderland 1 (Stewart, 45) Sheffield Wednesday 0

Key Events

  • Sunderland XI: Patterson, Wright, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch, Evans, O’Nien, Clarke (Doyle, 90+3), Roberts (Embleton, 81), Pritchard (Matete, 81), Stewart
  • Subs: Hoffmann, Doyle, Hume, Embleton, Neil, Matete, McGeady
  • Sheffield Wednesday XI: Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Storey, Dean, Hutchinson, Johnson, Byers, Luongo, Bannan, Berahino (Windass, 56), Gregory
  • Subs: Wildsmith, Hunt, Dunkley, Dele-Bashiru, Mendez-Laing, Windass, Paterson

First-half verdict from the Stadium of Light

HALF-TIME: Sunderland 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0

45’ GOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!! STEWART!!!!

Right before half-time!!!

Hutchinson got caught on the ball and allowed Stewart to run through one-on-one against Peacock-Farrell.

The keeper kept out his first effort but Stewart converted the rebound.

The Stadium of Light erupted!

The crowd came alive there after a Sunderland free-kick fell to Stewart and then Clarke but bit saw efforts blocked inside the box.

Sunderland then won another free-kick before the ball dropped to Gooch on the halfway line. The full-back slipped and nearly allowed Bannan to run through on goal but managed to recover.

Within seconds Sunderland broke forward and Gooch’s cross was tipped over the bar by Peacock-Farrell.

A warning sign for Sunderland after Wednesday played through the hosts’ press and worked the ball to Palmer on the right.

The Owls wing-back sent a cross into the box which was met by Gregory but Patterson saved the striker’s mistimed shot.

36’ Evans shot skewed wide

That was better build-up play from Sunderland after Stewart dropped deep and laid the ball off to Roberts on the right.

The latter then set up Evans on the edge of the box but the Black Cats captain skewed his shot wide.

32’ A lack of numbers in the box

Sunderland have seen more of the ball but haven’t had many men in the box to try and pick out.

Gooch has just tried to deliver a cross from the right which was cleared, with Stewart going up against three Wednesday centre-backs.

25’ Patterson called into action

Wednesday have just registered their first effort at goal but Gregory’s tame header was comfortably saved by Patterson.

The game could do with a lift from Sunderland’s point of view.