Late Southampton Double Sinks Battling Sunderland
Sunderland were denied a point from the long trip to Southampton after a late double from Joe Rothwell handed the home side victory in the latest round of EFL Championship fixtures.
Promotion-chasing Southampton took the lead within ten minutes when a poorly placed defensive header from Jobe Bellingham could only find Jan Bednarek in the Sunderland box. Although his effort was well saved by Anthony Patterson from close range, Stuart Armstrong forced the ball home to open the scoring.
Adam Armstrong then missed a chance to double the lead when he fired over following a mistake from Patterson, before the forward doubled the advantage from the penalty spot shortly before the break despite appearing to strike the ball twice when he slipped during his run-up.
Eager to end a recent poor run of form, Sunderland came out fighting after the break, and the Black Cats pulled one back when a shot from Romaine Mundle took a deflection that carried it beyond the dive of Gavin Bazuna.
That goal just after the hour mark gave the visitors a boost and Bellingham made up for his earlier error when he turned on the edge of the box and curled a stunning shot beyond Bazuna and into the top corner to level the scores.
Sunderland would only be level for six minutes before a loose ball fell kindly for Rothwell to drive the ball beyond Patterson from just inside the box, and he then converted from close range when an effort from Adam Armstrong was blocked on the line.
The defeat leaves Sunderland twelfth in the table ahead of a home game with Queens Park Rangers this weekend.
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