The story of the day as Aiden McGeady's brace fires Sunderland to encouraging pre-season win at Hearts
and live on Freeview channel 276
After a draw at Spennymoor Town a fortnight ago, followed by two behind closed doors fixtures against local opponents last weekend, the Black Cats headed to Tynecastle ready for a step-up in opposition.
Lee Johnson’s side have been based in Edinburgh for the majority of the week as part of a pre-season training camp and will hope to end a fruitful week with victory against the Scottish Premiership side.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe game could saw summer signings Corry Evans and Callum Doyle handed their debuts – while Aiden McGeady featured for the first time since penning fresh contracts.
A number of the club’s promising youngsters were also be involved.
Phil Smith and Mark Donnelly were at the game for The Echo, bringing you build-up, team news, match coverage, analysis, insight, reaction and more from the pre-season fixture – which you can relive here.
A message from the Football Clubs Editor:
Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Sunderland AFC coverage 365 days a year.
Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor
FT: Hearts 0-2 Sunderland AFC (McGeady 15, 42)
Key Events
- Sunderland travel to Tynecastle in their second public pre-season friendly.
- Lee Johnson is again set to experiment with his squad ahead of the new League One season.
- SAFC XI: Patterson, Winchester, Doyle, Flanagan, Dyce, Neil, Embleton, McGeady, Gooch, O’Brien, Stewart
The Sunderland squad are here!
And it’s pretty much as expected in terms of personnel - with no Alex Pritchard given his positive COVID-19 test.
New signings Corry Evans and Callum Doyle are here, along with youngsters such as Tyrese Dyce and Oliver Younger.
Will Grigg has also travelled, while Arbenit Xhemajli is here - but unlikely to play any part.
BREAKING: THE TEAM NEWS IS IN!
And here’s how Sunderland line-up for the friendly at Hearts: Patterson, Winchester, Doyle, Flanagan, Dyce, Neil, Embleton, McGeady, Gooch, O’Brien, Stewart
And on the bench: Burge, Grigg, Taylor, Richardson, Evans, Diamond, Younger, Wilding
It could be a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 for the Black Cats, but whatever the formation it looks like Carl Winchester is at right-back.
There’s a debut for Callum Doyle, with Corry Evans on the bench.
No place for Bailey Wright, Luke O’Nien or Alex Pritchard.
Sunderland are out to warm-up!
Not that they need it today, the sun is beaming down on Tynecastle and it’s a lovely day!
Luke O’Nien - who isn’t named in the squad today - is involved in the early parts of the warm-up.
Not long to go now...
And Sunderland are going through the final stages of their warm-up.
As expected, the side are preparing in a back four with Carl Winchester on the right-hand side.
Here. We. Go...
The two teams have emerged from the tunnels at Tynecastle, and kick-off is just moments away!
Lynden Gooch is wearing the armband for the Black Cats today.
We’ll have all the big updates right here...
2 - A positive start from Sunderland
And we’ve already seen Callum Doyle’s quality, as he carried the ball out of the back well before playing a fine pass into the path of Ross Stewart.
The Black Cats then won a corner - prompting shouts of ‘useless’ from the home crowd - which went short to Gooch, but his delivery was blocked at the source.