Sunderland held European chasers Bournemouth to a 1-1 draw on the south coast this afternoon, however talkSPORT pundit Scott Minto mentioned one man stood out above the remaining.
Sunderland scrap with stalemate in opposition to Bournemouth
It has been a troublesome few weeks for Sunderland.
Heading into the journey to the Vitality Stadium, they’ve misplaced 5 of their final six Premier League video games, a rising damage checklist is testing the supervisor’s persistence and any real looking prospects for a debut season within the high flight are starting to crumble.
Regis Le Bris wanted solutions Saturday morning on the south coast. For a very long time he received one.
Sunderland arrived at Bournemouth with out the likes of Romain Mandl, Dennis Sirkin, Jocelyn Ta Bi, Nordi Mukiele, Brian Brobbey and Reinild Mandava by way of damage to face a house aspect chasing European soccer unbeaten since early January.
Regardless of the heavy odds, they acquired off to a vivid begin, taking the lead within the 18th minute by way of Eliezer Mayenda.
Khabib Diarra’s ferocious strike was too sizzling for Petrovic to include, and the Bournemouth goalkeeper might solely spill it into the trail of Mayenda, who scored with the best of finishes from shut vary.
The Cherries pushed onerous for an equalizer and created probabilities all through the primary half, however Sunderland held agency.
Granit Xhaka, who returned to the crew after a seven-game absence as a result of damage, introduced calm to the midfield and the protection behind him confirmed the form of group that they had lacked in latest weeks.
Sunderland pair face surgical procedure as Black Cats damage replace provides Le Blis headache forward of recreation in opposition to Bournemouth
It would not get any higher for them.
Diarra virtually doubled the lead early within the second half, working away earlier than Petrovic acquired as much as cease him, then noticed his follow-up rebound go huge of the objective. Had that been included, it might need been a really totally different afternoon.
Nevertheless, Bournemouth equalized within the 63rd minute. Substitute Marcus Tavernier fed in an ideal cross from the left and half-time substitute Evanilsson rose to the highest of the again publish to move residence previous Anthony Roofs.
VAR then dominated out Sunderland’s penalty, ruling that Alex Jimenez’s problem on Enzo Le Fe amounted to regular contact. Though the choice annoyed the guests, it didn’t gradual them down.
Each groups seemed for winners within the closing levels however have been unable to take action, with Sunderland escaping the Vitality Stadium with a hard-earned and maybe well-deserved level.
Dan Ballard praises Sunderland’s ‘unbelievable’ efficiency in opposition to Bournemouth
Nevertheless, there was one man who stood above everybody else on the pitch.
Dan Ballard was distinctive from begin to end, calm in possession, dominant within the air and alert to any risk Bournemouth posed.
He additionally got here near scoring his personal objective, assembly Enzo Le Fe’s nook kick with a well-designed flick header that went simply huge.
talkSPORT commentator Scott Minto had no hesitation in naming Ballard his Man of the Match and was stuffed with reward for the Northern Eire worldwide on the ultimate whistle.
“He was nice and confirmed nice character,” Minto mentioned.
“He reads the sport very nicely. He is an actual old-school defender who got here to the Premier League and confirmed he is a Premier League participant.”
It is onerous to argue. Ballard has been one among Sunderland’s most constant performers all through his historic debut within the high flight, and afternoons like this are precisely why.
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