Shame this is tonight, will keep an eye on the score. Looks like Watson in the first team squad again.
Wonder if Adil might be in the bench tonight as trey n jones both playing with the u21s. Browne will take 1 space so suspect Adil might take the other Watson will feature a fair bit in the 1st team this season
Sunderland AFC Under-21s claimed a well-earned 2-0 victory against Olympique Lyonnais II in the Premier League International Cup at Eppleton Welfare Colliery Ground. A late second-half brace from Trey Ogunsuyi was enough to claim all three points in Group B for the young Black Cats. Graeme Murty made four changes to his Sunderland starting XI; Harrison Jones returned to captain the side, while goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu, Joe Anderson, and Jewison Bennette all started. The hosts thought they had taken the lead on 11 minutes when Anderson neatly played a one-two with Marshall Burke before picking out Bennette at the far post, but the lineman was quick to raise his flag for offside. Lyon tested the palms of Nna Noukeu from close-range midway through the first half after finding space deep inside the Black Cats’ box. The resulting corner rattled the post after connecting with the head of the Lyon defender before being hoofed clear of danger by H. Jones. H. Jones came within inches of breaking the deadlock on 35 minutes after skilfully skipping past his man, but his powerful effort from 20 yards rebounded back off Lassine Diarra’s crossbar. Bennette had Diarra’s net rippling again minutes later, but his close-range tap-in was ruled offside after getting on the end of Burke’s parried shot. The Black Cats remained on level terms heading into half-time thanks to two brilliant saves from Nna Noukeu, firstly denying Romain Perret with an outstretched hand before getting fingertips to Teo Barisic’s curling effort seconds later. After the interval, Sunderland returned the sharper of the two sides; Caden Kelly found space and forced Diarra into a low stop inside the opening five minutes. Murty’s side continued to control possession and looked the more likely of the two sides to score, with the pace of Bennette and Kelly causing Lyon’s full-backs problems every time they got on the ball. The Costa Rican international picked out H. Jones inside the visitor’s 18-yard box, but the midfielder could not direct his shot on target. Sunderland deservedly took the lead inside the final 10 minutes, Ogunsuyi rising highest to head Kelly’s corner into the roof of Diarra’s net. The Black Cats wrapped up the victory three minutes later when Ogunsuyi added a second on 85 minutes, tapping in Rhys Walsh’s cutback. Sunderland Under-21’s are back in action on Monday evening when they return to Eppleton CW for the visit of Derby County in the Premier League 2. SAFC XI: Nna Noukeu, Lavery, Bell, Anderson, Jenson Jones (Walsh 79’), Middlemas (Mitchell 88’), Harrison Jones © Bennette, Burke (Lenz 45’), Kelly, Ogunsuyi. Subs not used: Cameron, Jaydon Jones, Whittaker, Kindon. Great result well done too all , special mention to Bennette and Kelly.
Graeme Murty was full of praise for his Under-21 side as they registered their first Premier League International Cup victory against Olympique Lyonnais II. Two well-taken goals by Trey Ogunsuyi separated the sides, as the young Black Cats dominated large spells of the game to seal maximum points and claim their first clean sheet of the season. “I'm pleased with the clean sheet and our clinical nature in the second half, and I think it showed our level when we moved the ball quickly," Murty admitted. “The lads are showing some real understanding, which was our challenge for them today. It wasn't necessarily to win a game; it was to show more in this game than they've shown in the previous two, and I think they managed to do that." The Lead Coach wants his side to remain “resilient and positive” and continue taking risks by playing their style of football. “They're going to have to show that nature to go again, to bounce back, to not be overly concerned and overly bothered by things that they can't control and focus on the things in front of them. "Walking onto the pitch in a game is the test; that’s where they have to show what they've learned. It's where they're most exposed and vulnerable, but it also gives them a real good opportunity to show how good they can be. “I’m more in favour of them being positive and fail trying to be great at something than being really passive and being risk averse." Murty believes that playing in the International Cup against European giants like Athletic Bilbao, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Lyon will only help the players develop and become stronger. He continued- “It’s a positive learning experience, we've played against a massive club tonight, and we’re getting to test ourselves against some of the very, very best in Europe. “We have to go and relish it, thrive in that environment, and understand where you stand on the scale of international competition." Murty applauded Trey Ogunsuyi for his all-around battling display against tough opposition. The striker has had an impressive start to the season, and his performances have already earned him call-ups to the first team. “Trey has had to accelerate his learning because he's still a second-year scholar playing in the Under-21s team. “Tonight, I was particularly pleased because he's taken a sore one in an aerial collision, and he's had to battle through a little bit of pain, but he got his reward, and he's starting to see that he can use his understanding of the things we're telling him to be more successful. “We want to be greedy; we want to push him harder; we want him to stretch himself, and when he starts to take independent ownership of his learning, I think you’ll really see him start to fly. “At the moment, typical of young players, he's taking what we're giving him. When he starts to demand more from himself, the basis that he's laid will be a good foundation for him to spring forward.”
@Robertson "Murty believes that playing in the International Cup against European giants like Athletic Bilbao, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Lyon will only help the players develop and become stronger" Absolutely. It's an incredible experience for players of their age. Seems to be a normal part of our setup these days.
