Premier League - Sunderland Chop Stewie

Eurosport - Sat, 20 Sep 17:02:00 2008

Michael Chopra punished Stewart Downing's penalty miss as Sunderland snatched a 2-0 Premier League win at home to Middlesbrough.

2008-2009 Sunderland - 0

Substitute Chopra scored both goals, finishing clinically with 10 minutes remaining and then slotting into an empty net during stoppage time.

Downing blazed a controversial spot-kick over when the game was still goalless - his second missed penalty of the season.

A frantic final quarter enlivened a previously drab Tees-Wear 'derby' - the uninspiring play perhaps reflecting the lack of genuine rivalry between these two towns that are separated by 30 miles.

Nevertheless, a two-goal haul represents the perfect tonic for Chopra, who has battled personal problems during a summer that included a trip to rehab.

He faces a battle regaining a place in the starting XI ahead of Djibril Cisse and El-Hadji Diouf, but neither man showed Chopra's composure in front of goal.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate would love to have Roy Keane's relative riches up front. Afonso Alves ploughed a lone furrow in attack after Mido suffered an injury during the warm-up.

The Egyptian joins Turkish international Tuncay Sanli on the treatment table at the Riverside.

Alves had Boro's best chance of the first half, collecting an Adam Johnson through ball and firing straight at Craig Gordon.

Downing had earlier done likewise, making a crisp connection with a volley from the edge of the box.

Cisse took most of Sunderland's shots on goal, but his radar was woefully out-of-kilter and his efforts generally ended up causing more trouble for the fans behind the goal than they did for goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

Turnbull nearly gifted Sunderland the lead just after the hour with a remarkable blunder. He fumbled the ball as he prepared to roll it out, handing possession to El Hadji Diouf.

A pair of defenders raced back to block the eventual shot on goal.

The game appeared to swing Boro's way on 74 minutes when Nyron Nosworthy was harshly adjudged to have tripped Jeremie Aliadiere inside the Sunderland box.

But Downing, who had hit the bar with his most recent penalty, blazed his strike high into the crowd.

The error was swiftly punished as Chopra exchanged passes with Kieran Richardson, sauntered through a gap in the defence and finished low into the left corner.

As the visitors pushed forward, they were caught on the break for a second. A deflected show landed to the unmarked Steed Malbranque, who in turn supplied Chopra to roll the ball into the empty net.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 3 - 22 of 22

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  1. smoggies got what they deserved.we taught them a­ lesson.boro are the SCUM OF THE EARTH .ha way the lads

    From bry, on Mon 22 Sep 7:23PM

  2. hahahahah... i think u will find boro were reformed in­ 1986. when... ohhh yes thats rite, they went outta­ business... ohh yes they had to play sum games at­ hartlepool united cos they were locked out of that shed­ ayresome park... and as for saturdays games, WE­ deserved the win, dont blame us if ya cant stick ya­ chances away.. we had more attempts at goal, more on­ target, more off target, more corners... the stats say­ it all... the only ppl that consider it a derby are u­ guys...

    From Andrew, on Mon 22 Sep 7:02PM

  3. Ha ha ha!!! Sorry, you really need to have a look at a­ map, mate, because I think you'll find­ Middlesbrough is part of the North East, and have been­ for thirty years. We are no longer part of North­ Yorkshire (unfortunately), therefore making any game­ between Middlesbrough and Newcastle or Sunderland a­ derby. Accept it. But what gives you the room to talk -­ look at your own club rather than calling "the­ most successful club outside the top 4" "3rd­ rate". We're older than both Newcastle and­ Sunderland, and been through a hell of a lot more­ heartache than both clubs, but look at what we've­ achieved over the years...Congrats to the Mackems; you­ may not have deserved the win, but well done for­ capitalising on our misfortune. The 2-0 highly­ flattered you. I look forward to the return fixture at­ the Riverside :-).

    From gemmalangridgecentre, on Mon 22 Sep 5:23PM

  4. (CAMERON) GO AND @#$% YOURSELF WE NEED NO PRAISE FROM­ THE LIKES OF YOU. GET YOURSELF DOWN ST JAMES'S AND­ MAKE A @#$% OF YOURSELF ON TV. I HOPE YOU GET RELEGATED­ AND YOUR NEXT @#$% IS THE RAGGY END OF A PINEAPPLE.

    From kris, on Sun 21 Sep 7:36AM

  5. Get in!!!! That's really cheered me up as I am­ currently sitting in a sea of apparently lifeless Asian­ bodies after getting off my flight in Dubai! Yes that­ sounds strange but its true! Ha'way the lads!

    From hope960, on Sat 20 Sep 10:18PM

  6. the best part was coming back down the a19 waving shirt­ at the daft smogies out of the car window come on keano

    From thomas645, on Sat 20 Sep 8:47PM

  7. cameron what planet r u on??????????????? and the­ sooner u get relegated, the better!!

    From butchkins, on Sat 20 Sep 7:51PM

  8. Good on you lads nice win, keep it up keano and now­ lets keepit up for the rest of the season

    From NEIL B, on Sat 20 Sep 7:19PM

  9. does that make sunderland the top team in the northeast­ now,or are newcastle above us.

    From safcjo64, on Sat 20 Sep 6:18PM

  10. roy keane has the ability to bring the best out of­ players that other managers seem to afford to be able­ to do without and get them to gel into a dogged never­ give up outfit that often play beyond themselves and­ dig out results with his own never say die­ attitude.

    keep it up lads.

    From andy s, on Sat 20 Sep 5:44PM

  11. I'm a Newcastle fan still angry with the boy, but­ i'm pleased to see Chopra's getting his life­ back on track. Well done you mackems; we need to keep­ on telling this small 3rd rate outfit from North­ Yorkshire that there is only one real North East derby­ - from a soon-to-be-relegated Geordie.

    From cameron w, on Sat 20 Sep 5:35PM

  12. Here we go again. Excuses excuses excuses. Boro have­ the players but perhaps the manager lacks the skills to­ motivate!

    From jlwebber, on Sat 20 Sep 5:32PM

  13. @#$%

    From Sandeep, on Sat 20 Sep 5:27PM

  14. well done keane. enojeffrey(out of 9ja)

    From tunde j, on Sat 20 Sep 5:10PM

  15. well done keane

    From tunde j, on Sat 20 Sep 5:07PM

  16. You can criticise the Black Cats as much as you like,­ but Kean will keep working with the players and­ coaching staff to make SOL a fortress very few teams­ will relish visiting.

    From Paperboy, on Sat 20 Sep 4:22PM

  17. Chops has to play more.Look at his goals to games­ ratio and compare it to anyone elses.

    From W, on Sat 20 Sep 4:15PM

  18. Well done Sunderland.

    From adam simmons, on Sat 20 Sep 4:12PM

  19. Haha that was class, ha'way the lads

    From liana_robinsons, on Sat 20 Sep 2:54PM

  20. good result 4 roy keane boys.

    From samantacargo, on Sat 20 Sep 2:52PM
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