The Premier League clash between Sunderland and Swansea City ended 0-0 this afternoon at the Stadium of Light.
Despite a dominant performance by the home side, Gus Poyet's men were largely toothless in front of goal.
Meanwhile, the Swans were lucky to hang on for a draw after finishing the game with ten men, courtesy of Angel Rangel's sending off.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how the afternoon unfolded.
Good afternoon folks, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League clash between Sunderland and Swansea City at the Stadium of Light! Kickoff will be at 3pm. Here are the team news for the game...
SUNDERLAND STARTING XI: Mannone, Jones, van Aanholt, Vergini, O'Shea (c), Larsson, Rodwell, Cattermole, Johnson, Buckley, Wickham
SWANSEA CITY STARTING XI: Fabianski, Rangel, Fernandez, Williams (c), Taylor, Ki, Shelvey, Sigurdsson, Dyer, Routledge, Gomis
SUNDERLAND SUBS: Bridcutt, Fletcher, Gomez, Altidore, Mavrias, Alvarez, Pantilimon
SWANSEA CITY SUBS: Tremmel, Richards, Bartley, Montero, Carroll, Emnes, Bony
Sunderland have had a bit of a troubled start to the 2014-15 season, having drawn four and lost one of their five Premier League games so far. As a result, they hover just above the relegation zone, but could kickstart their campaign with a good result here.
Meanwhile, Swansea began the campaign with a great result, the win against Manchester United, but have tailed off somewhat with two successive defeats. That said, they were against the current top two, Chelsea and Southampton.
Injury-hit Sunderland have given Billy Jones his first Premier League start at right-back. Santiago Vergini will partner John O'Shea at centre-back given Wes Brown's injury, while Will Buckley replaces fellow casualty Emanuele Giaccherini.
Meanwhile, the Swans have made one change to the side that lost to Southampton in the league a week ago, Bafetimbi Gomis starting in lieu of Wilfried Bony.
SOFA! Find out what the Sports Mole pundits had to say about this fixture.
Now, for some stats regarding this fixture. Along with Liverpool, Swansea are one of two teams yet to draw this season, while Sunderland have drawn a league-high four times this campaign. And worryingly, Sunderland conceded seven goals to Swansea last season - only Arsenal and Tottenham scored as many against the Stadium of Light outfit.
Today also sees the return of Sunderland loanee Ki-Sung Yueng to the Stadium of Light. Mackems will be wary of what returning players can do to their former clubs on the pitch...
Former #SAFC loan star Ki Sung-Yueng arrives at @StadiumOfLight with @SwansOfficial earlier today pic.twitter.com/XGSqNqk1Kc
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 27, 2014
KICKOFF! And we're underway here at the Stadium of Light!
Routledge with the first foray into the home side's half, whipping a cross intended for Gomis, but it's cleared away by Jones. Sunderland then launch into a counterattack which comes to no avail as Wickham blasts over the bar. Lively start.
A short delay as Fernandez is clattered by Rodwell, but he is able to get up, albeit gingerly. This is followed by another tentative ball from Routledge, this time from the left flank, but it's cleared once again, this time by O'Shea.
A throughball by Gomis finds Routledge, but the latter is unable to find an opening through the tightly packed Black Cats defence. The move ends with Dyer blasting the ball well over the bar.
CHANCES! Tense times for Swansea now as the home side launch forward - first Larsson fires a free kick into Fabianski's arms, then Johnson forces his way into the left-hand side of the six-yard box and forces a good reflex save from the Polish stopper.
More danger for the visitors, self-inflicted this time, as Ki slices a Sunderland corner up into the air before Gomis sends a header towards goal. Fabianski is able to catch without too much difficulty though.
More action in Swansea's goalmouth - first Buckley races onto a free kick to force a save from Fabiaski (he appeared to be offside, to be fair), before another Black Cats corner causes havoc, but is eventually cleared.
Ki edges into the final third, first dummying his marker, then curling an effort towards Mannone. The ball, however, soars wide above the bar.
CHANCE! Fabianski is a busy man today! Buckley sees his shot blocked by Williams, but Jones is in the box to get on the rebound. The Swans goalkeeper, however, is able to smother the ball, receiving a clattering in the process.
Van Aanholt is next to try is luck, but as with the majority of efforts in this game so far, sails well over.
Buckley is certainly giving it his all today - the Sunderland man once again threatens the opposition, sending a dangerous cross into the Swansea area, but Fabianski is able to claim once again.
Not as much goalmouth action in these last few minutes, with several forceful tackles in the middle of the park flying in and disrupting play.
The game is opening up again, as Shelvey plays a sumptuous through-ball over to Routledge who marauds down the left flank, but it comes to nothing.
Dyer surges towards the byline and sends a ball towards Gomis on the edge of the six yard box as Vergini is forced to nod behind for a corner. The resulting set piece is easily caught by Mannone though.
CHANCE! Swansea are finding themselves under siege once again in this game. A corner fails to Cattermole on the edge of the area and he lets rip with a stinging half-volley towards goal which is deflected behind for another corner.
CHANCE! Fabianski is called upon yet again to push Vergini's flicked header behind for another Sunderland corner. Wickham is lurking across the back post but the Swans are able to clear their lines.
After a prolonged period of pressure by the home side, Swansea are able to carve out a chance of their own through Gomis, who picks up the ball with his back to goal, turns away from O'Shea and fires, but his effort is high and wide.
Now it is Swansea who are probing forward, with Routledge trying to conjure up some magic on the left wing, but the Sunderland defence are not letting anything through this afternoon.
BOOKING! Cattermole is the first player to go in the book this afternoon, earning himself a yellow card for a foul on Sigurdsson.
Shelvey plays a through-ball for Gomis to run onto, but Jones gets there first to clear the danger with a sliding tackle.
HALF TIME: SUNDERLAND 0-0 SWANSEA CITY
So it's half time at the Stadium of Light, and it's goalless between the Black Cats and the Swans this afternoon. It's been a lively game, with both sides probing forward into the final third, but the home side will be happier with proceedings so far.
Gus Poyet's side had plenty of chances to open the scoring, but the cutting edge wasn't quite there to break the deadlock. Swansea's Fabianski, to his credit, was solid in between the posts and didn't panic whenever the Black Cats surged forward into the final third. His save from Johnson was particularly good.
As for Garry Monk's outfit, they will need to step things up in the second half if they are to get anything out of this game. They did muster up some efforts on the Sunderland goal, but nothing concrete. Mannone's had a relatively easy job so far in this game.
The moment when, dealing with a Sunderland attack in the 13th minute, Ki headed the ball sloppily into the air before Gomis sent it haphazardly towards his own goal would have been of particular concern to the Swans.
RESTART! We're underway again here at the Stadium of Light! Can Sunderland convert their first half dominance into goals, or can Swansea step it up a gear and make it a game of two halves?
Sunderland showing plenty of urgency as they aim to pick up from where they left off before the break.
Swansea, however, are responsible for the first effort of the half, as Ki sneaks forward and sends a shot over Mannone's bar. The South Korean is waving for a corner, but the referee refutes the claim.
BOOKING! Ashley Williams goes into the book for Garry Monk's side, following a push on Wickham.
Taylor sends Buckley tumbling in the middle of the park. Nothing given, however. Play once again being broken up by niggling fouls in midfield.
CHANCE! Swansea really are unable to get anything concrete into the Sunderland box this afternoon - they are being restricted to tame long-range efforts. Sigurdsson blasts an optimistic effort towards from outside the box, but Mannone easily gets down to smother the ball. The Black Cats are defending stoutly.
Sunderland make the first change of the afternoon as Jordi Gomez comes on to replace Jack Rodwell.
Drama at the Stadium of Light as Williams and Wickham grapple with each other off the ball. Chris Foy, the referee, steps in to calm things down, as both players are let off.
BOOKING! Swansea's Rangel is shown a yellow card for dissent after arguing with the referee.
Larsson sends a low free kick towards Wickham, but the Swans clear following a block by Shelvey. That looked straight out of the training ground, and very nearly came off.
Both sides make substitutions, as Gus Poyet's outfit sees Alvarez come on for Johnson, while Montero replaces Dyer for the visitors.
CHANCE! Larsson bursts towards the byline and tries to set up Ki, but the resulting effort flies straight into Fabianski's arms.
PENALTY SHOUT! Wickham appears to have been brought down by Fernandez in the area after controlling the ball with his chest, but the referee waves play on!
CHANCE! Buckley escapes Fernandez and bursts into the Swansea area, but his low ball into the six-yard box whizzes across goal just inches away from the foot of Wickham! End to end stuff here!
Swansea make their second change of the afternoon as Wilfried Bony comes on for Bafetimbi Gomis.
CHANCE! Wickham misses a sitter for Sunderland! The ball falls to him in the box, but his header is tame, looping over Fabianski and, crucially, over the bar!
BOOKING! In what is becoming an increasingly feisty clash, Jones goes into the referee's book for sending Montero to the ground.
Rangel, already on a yellow, is arguably quite lucky not to be sent off after clattering into Buckley.
Buckley receives the ball in the area before being diverted outside to the left flank, where he is penalised for knocking over his marker. A potential opening for Sunderland thwarted.
Montero cuts inside from the left and sends a cross towards Bony inside the area, but his delivery is just too high and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
RED CARD! Rangel was let off just a few minutes ago, but Foy decides to issue him a second yellow card for his challenge on Buckley, which means that the visitors are down to ten men!
Larsson, from a very good position just outside the area, whips a free kick deep into the Swansea box, but Fabianski is able to catch the ball with ease.
CHANCE! A cross is lashed in deep into the Swansea area, but Fletcher, from a very good position, sends his powerful header inches wide! Arguably the best chance of the game so far, and Sunderland are knocking on the door! Will they come to regret that missed opportunity?
Yet another wasted Sunderland chance as Gomez collects a diagonal pass around 20 yards from goal, but his effort lacks both power and spin, ensuring that Fabianski can save with ease!
Larsson blasts a low shot towards goal, but Swansea are defending strongly. Just one minute of regulation time left, but Sunderland have yet another corner...
We have four minutes of injury time here at the Stadium of Light! Can Sunderland make a late, late breakthrough, or will Swansea hold on?
FULL TIME: SUNDERLAND 0-0 SWANSEA CITY
And so the referee blows the whistle on this afternoon's game at the Stadium of Light, which has ended in a goalless draw! Sunderland will be aggrieved at not breaking the deadlock after the sheer glut of chances they had, while Swansea will be more than pleased at earning a point in what proved to be very testing circumstances!
The result means that Gus Poyet's side now have a fifth draw in six Premier League games, which sees them climb to 15th place. Swansea, on the other hand, are now in the division's top four following the goalless draw.
That is all we have time for from the Stadium of Light! Thanks for joining us this afternoon, but be sure to stick with Sports Mole over the next few hours for coverage and reaction from matches at home and abroad, as well as the ongoing Ryder Cup. Stay tuned and, until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
