Complete nepotism. Talented youngsters missing out on an opportunity so siblings of Cirkin and Diallo can get a game. Speakman out!
Thanks to Matty Hewitt at the Chronic Sunderland's second string have looked really good on the ball but lacking a presence going forward, a bit like the first team. Good to see so many young first-team players with an opportunity to impress. A far cry from the performance against Boro the other week. Leeds the best side in the division and have matched them comfortably. Sunderland 0-0 Leeds All square at the break. Sunderland have impressed in patches. They've made Leeds look very ordinary. 45+3 MINS Matete is shown a yellow card for a pull on a Leeds shirt just inside the Whites' half. 45MINS Three minutes of added time. 44MINS Best chance of the half for Sunderland. Diallo tries to trip Klaesson in the Leeds goal by curling a free-kick into the top left-hand corner on the goalkeeper's side. He palms the effort behind for a Sunderland corner. 43MINS Sunderland 0-0 Leeds Sutcliffe picks up a yellow card for a foul on Amad Diallo. Sunderland with a free-kick in a good area. 40MINS Sunderland 0-0 Leeds Dennis Cirkin back to his feet after receiving treatment for a robust challenge. 38 MINS Johnson is shown a yellow card for hacking down Greenwood. Leeds then have a golden opportunity to score. Michut then keeps a fumbled effort out at the back post. 36MINS Greenwood has an effort blocked inside Sunderland's box - in line with the penalty spot. The Black Cats break but Dajaku's pass is unable to find Bennette on the far left. Leeds clear. 34MINS A stoppaged in play as Spencer receives treatment. Both sides use the opportunity to take on water and instructions. 32MINS Michut does really well to bring the ball out under pressure and finds Ba. The Frenchman plays a great ball behind for Dajaku to run onto but the German is flagged offside. It looked close. 29MINS Gnonto latches onto a loose pass from Matete and races forwards from midway inside his own half. He makes it to the edge of the Sunderland box and chops onto his left but he's closed down and the ball goes behind for a goal kick. 27MINS Corner to Leeds. 21MINS Ba wins a free-kick in the right-hand flank. He's started well. 19 MINS Sunderland 0-0 Leeds Gelhardt hits a shot wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the area. 17MINS Amad finds Ba will a ball in behind. He lets it roll in front of him before firing a low drive from the edge of the box which is blocked. 16MINS Sam Greenwood gets a telling off for a late foul on Michut. It's been scrappy from the visitors so far. 14MINS Ba and Cirkin combine down the left and win a free-kick in a good position but they opt to play the ball backwards. 11MINS Bennette, Diallo and Michut have plenty of neat touches in the middle of the pitch. Sunderland playing some good stuff but Leeds lively going forward. 5MINS Smart play from Amad in the Leeds half, he finds Dajaku in the penalty area but the German can't sort his feet out and Leeds clear. 5MINS Wilfried Gnonto cuts in from the left and tries to curl an effort into the far corner from 20-yards out but it goes wide of Carney's goal. 1MINS Leeds get us underway at the Stadium of Light.
Dajaku not impressing... 48MINS Again Dajaku with golden chance. This time to play in Amad on the edge of the box but opts to shoot and gets it all wrong. 46MINS Sunderland 0-0 Leeds Chance! Cirkin rolls in Dajaku down the line and Leeds stop thinking he's offside. The assistant waves play on and the German advances into the Leeds box but curls an effort wide of the right-hand post. He should have hit the target.
65MINS Sunderland 0-1 Leeds Ba goes close with a drive from the edge of the area and is now down with what looks like cramp. Both sides taking on instructions and water. 64MINS Sunderland 0-1 Leeds Trai Hume bails out Bailey Wright on the halfway line after a stray header. He then drives down the left flank and gains valuable yards for his team.
70MINS Sunderland 0-1 Leeds The visitors have penalty claims waved away after Cirkin seemingly pulled Gnonto back. I've seen them given. 67MINS Sunderland 0-1 Leeds Chance! Johnson gets away with one there. The Sunderland defender with a sloppy pass, Drameh picks up the stray ball and drives into the box. Carney with a pointblank save.
There’s some excellent young players in Leeds’ side but this would be a poor result looking at our team…
