FOOTBALL Live

Saturday February 9, 2008 Finished Stadium of Light

Logo 2 - Wigan Athletic 0

Sunderland

  • Etuhu 43’
  • Murphy 74’

Wigan Athletic

  1. Black Cats win relegation battle

    Black Cats win relegation battle

    Sunderland pulled themselves three points clear of the relegation zone with a hard-fought but fortuitous 2-0 home win against fellow strugglers Wigan. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Sunderland
    • Wigan Athletic
    • 90' And it's all over at the Stadium of Light - Sunderland record their fourth straight home win in the league to pull themselves three points clear of the relegation zone. The result is harsh on Wigan, who created numerous openings in the second half and were the victim of two dodgy decisions in the first period.
    • 90' We're into injury time. Four added minutes to come.
    • 85' King heads wide from 12 yards after connecting with a Koumas cross from wide on the right.
    • 82' Sunderland make the final change of the afternoon. Leadbitter, returning from three mathces out injured, replaces goalscorer Etuhu.
    • 79' Another brilliant save by Gordon as he palms away a Marlon King shot from point-blank range after another Koumas corner.
    • 78' Gordon tips over a Kilbane header from a Koumas corner. Great save by the Scot!
    • 74' GOAL FOR SUNDERLAND! Daryl Murphy with a hammer of a left-foot shot from the edge of the Wigan area that flies into the top corner!
    • 73' Andy Reid - the tenth Irishman signed by Roy Keane - has come on for his Sunderland debut in place of Chopra.
    • 71' Wigan desperately close again as Scharner heads a Koumas corner from the left just wide of the right post!
    • 67' Wigan make their third and final change of the match: Bent is on for Heskey up front. The England striker hasn't looked fully fit but he came very close with that header that hit the bar.
    • 65' An inswinging Dean Whitehead corner from left is collected easily enough by Kirkland.
    • 61' Murphy crosses from the left and Kirkland punches clear.
    • 59' Valencia picks up the first booking of the match for dissent after he fouled Collins.
    • 56' A second change for Wigan: Olembe on for Taylor, who had switched to left back at the break.
    • 55' Murphy shows great pace to chase down a long ball from defence by Evans, but the Sunderland winger fires well wide from the edge of the penalty area on the left.
    • 51' Wigan hit the bar! Koumas crosses for Heskey at the near post on the left, and the England man nods the ball on to the cross bar.
    • 50' The corner comes to nothing - but Sunderland almost score at the other end as they break to create a good chance for Whitehead, but the Sunerland skipper blasts well over with a half-volley on the edge of the six-yard box.
    • 49' A Ryan Taylor long throw nearly falls for Scharner inside the Sunderland box but Nosworthy clears for a corner.
    • 48' Dean Whitehead - who was the man who cleared Brown's shot off the line - takes the corner. But it falls straight into Kirkland's arms.
    • 47' Sunderland relieve the pressure by winning a corner up the other end of the pitch.
    • 46' And then Kilbane sees a 30-yard drive his the inside of the right-hand post. What a let-off for Sunderland!
    • 46' Michael Brown has a shot cleared off the line for Wigan!
    • 46' Wigan get us going in the second period.
    • 45' It's half-time - Sunderland are lucky to be ahead at the break, but Roy Keane and co won't mind that one bit. Join us in 15 minutes for the second half.
    • 44' Sunderland mess up another great chance now. Prica was put through into a great position is space on the right side of the six-yard box, but the substitute falls over. Dear oh dear.
    • 44' Emile Heskey fires wide! He was only six yards out - a great chance to level straight away fow Wigan.
    • 43' GOAL FOR SUNDERLAND! The free kick is floated into the area and an unmarked Dickson Etuhu powers a header into the net to give his side the lead! That's his first goal for Sunderland!
    • 42' Phil Bardsley-inho with another great run down the right wing - Wigan have to resort to fouling him on the edge of the area. This is a dangerous free kick for Sunderland.
    • 39' Comedy moment from Jim Carrey doppleganger Kevin Kilbane, who chucks a throw-in 20 yards up the left wing - but it never went into play. Great stuff.
    • 37' The ball has been hoofed from one end to the other six or seven times over the past few minutes - it's not exactly a tactical masterclass.
    • 34' Phil Barsley cuts inside from the right wing and fires a stinging right-footed drive just wide! Great effort by the new Sunderland signing, who seems to have learnt a thing or two about dribbling from his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
    • 32' Palacios shoots from 40 yards - he catches it really well but it flies over!
    • 30' Evans clearly pulls back King as the striker ran in on goal, but again Mike Dean gives nothing. Bizarrely, and refreshingly, Wigan's players don't appeal much at all. That could have been a red card for defender on loan from Man Utd.
    • 28' Wigan fans probably aren't too upset that Bramble isn't on the bench to come on given his series of gaffes this season.
    • 27' Wigan might have to make a change too: Scharner is struggling with an injury and Granqvist, who was only a late call-up to the bench in place of Bramble, is warming up.
    • 26' Sunderland are making a substitution already: Prica on for O'Donovan. Very early to make a change, was O'Donovan injured?
    • 21' Wigan have a decent shout for a penalty as Ryan Taylor collapses in the box. He was defintely tugged after beating two men in the Sunderland area, but Mike Dean shakes his head - it isn't given.
    • 20' Sunderland go straight up the other end to carve out a headed chance for Jones, but the big striker powers his header over the bar.
    • 19' The right midfielder has been a real revelation for Steve Bruce since the ex-Birmingham boss arrived at Wigan, but that was a dismal delivery.
    • 18' Ryan Taylor whips the ball right-footed over everybody and straight into touch for a goal kick. A waste.
    • 17' Wigan are awarded a free kick wide on the left about 40 yards from goal. It's Steve Bruce's side's turn to pack the box now.
    • 16' Marlon King does well to collect a long ball on the left side of the penalty area - he tees up Valencia who shoots, but Jonny Evans blocks and ball is cleared.
    • 15' In a managerial capacity of course. Sunderland hoof a free kick from the centre cirle into a packed penalty area and it bounces over everyone for a goal kick. That was definitely more of a Robbo tactic.
    • 14' Roy Keane is looking pretty relaxed in the dug-out considering the pressure his side are under. The jury's still out as to whether the Irishman is the new Alex Ferguson or the new Bryan Robson.
    • 12' And Wigan have started the better here, and are unlucky not to win a free kick just outside the Sunderland area as ref Mike Dean waves away the players' appeals.
    • 10' A vital game for both sides this. The teams are only separated by goal difference at the wrong end of the table. Both have 23 points, Wigan have a slightly better goal difference, which puts them in 15th and Sunderland in 16th.
    • 8' Scharner with a great shot from the edge of the area but it flies just over the bar!
    • 4' Now Heskey shoots over the bar for Wigan.
    • 3' So close for Sunderland as O'Donovan hits the post with a header at the far right post.
    • 2' Kirkland collects a Murphy cross from the left comfortably.
    • 1' Sunderland get the first-half under way.
    • 0' For Wigan, Heskey and Melchiot both pass fitness tests to start, so the starting XI is the same as that which beat West Ham 1-0 at the JJB last Saturday. New signing Marlon King starts despite travelling to join up with Jamaica in mid-week.
    • 0'' Team news, first for Sunderland: two changes from last week's defeat at Liverpool. Midfield duo Miller and Richardson are both injured, so Etuhu (back from Africa Cup of Nations) and O'Donovan come in. New signing Andy Reid and Grant Leadbitter are both fit enough to be on the bench. Prica, who scored in the last home game against Birmingham, is on the bench as well.
    • 0' Welcome to LIVE minute-by-minute commentary of this relegation 'six-pointer' from the Stadium of Light between Sunderland and Wigan.

  • Summary

    • 85' King heads wide from 12 yards after connecting with a Koumas cross from wide on the right.
    • 78' Gordon tips over a Kilbane header from a Koumas corner. Great save by the Scot!
    • 71' Wigan desperately close again as Scharner heads a Koumas corner from the left just wide of the right post!
    • 55' Murphy shows great pace to chase down a long ball from defence by Evans, but the Sunderland winger fires well wide from the edge of the penalty area on the left.
    • 51' Wigan hit the bar! Koumas crosses for Heskey at the near post on the left, and the England man nods the ball on to the cross bar.
    • 50' The corner comes to nothing - but Sunderland almost score at the other end as they break to create a good chance for Whitehead, but the Sunerland skipper blasts well over with a half-volley on the edge of the six-yard box.
    • 46' And then Kilbane sees a 30-yard drive his the inside of the right-hand post. What a let-off for Sunderland!
    • 46' Michael Brown has a shot cleared off the line for Wigan!
    • 44' Sunderland mess up another great chance now. Prica was put through into a great position is space on the right side of the six-yard box, but the substitute falls over. Dear oh dear.
    • 44' Emile Heskey fires wide! He was only six yards out - a great chance to level straight away fow Wigan.
    • 43' GOAL FOR SUNDERLAND! The free kick is floated into the area and an unmarked Dickson Etuhu powers a header into the net to give his side the lead! That's his first goal for Sunderland!
    • 34' Phil Barsley cuts inside from the right wing and fires a stinging right-footed drive just wide! Great effort by the new Sunderland signing, who seems to have learnt a thing or two about dribbling from his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
    • 32' Palacios shoots from 40 yards - he catches it really well but it flies over!
    • 30' Evans clearly pulls back King as the striker ran in on goal, but again Mike Dean gives nothing. Bizarrely, and refreshingly, Wigan's players don't appeal much at all. That could have been a red card for defender on loan from Man Utd.
    • 21' Wigan have a decent shout for a penalty as Ryan Taylor collapses in the box. He was defintely tugged after beating two men in the Sunderland area, but Mike Dean shakes his head - it isn't given.
    • 20' Sunderland go straight up the other end to carve out a headed chance for Jones, but the big striker powers his header over the bar.
    • 8' Scharner with a great shot from the edge of the area but it flies just over the bar!
    • 3' So close for Sunderland as O'Donovan hits the post with a header at the far right post.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Mike Dean

  • Sunderland

    Manager: Roy Keane

    Captain: Dean Whitehead

    On the Field

    • Gordon
    • Bardsley
    • Nosworthy
    • Evans
    • Collins
    • O'Donovan Substitution Out (26′)
    • Whitehead
    • Etuhu Goal Substitution Out (82′)
    • Murphy Goal
    • Chopra Substitution Out (73′)
    • Jones

    Subs

    • Prica Substitution In (26′)
    • Reid Substitution In (73′)
    • McShane
    • Leadbitter Substitution In (82′)
    • Fulop

    Injured

    • Higginbotham
    • Yorke
    • Richardson
    • Miller
    • Wallace
    • Edwards

    Suspended

    None

  • Wigan Athletic

    Manager: Steve Bruce

    Captain: Mario Melchiot

    On the Field

    • Kirkland
    • Melchiot Substitution Out (46′)
    • Boyce
    • Scharner
    • Kilbane
    • Valencia Yellow Card
    • Palacios
    • Brown
    • Taylor Substitution Out (56′)
    • King
    • Heskey Substitution Out (67′)

    Subs

    • Bent Substitution In (67′)
    • Koumas Substitution In (46′)
    • Pollitt
    • Granqvist
    • Olembe Substitution In (56′)

    Injured

    • Edman
    • Hagen

    Suspended

    None