Sunderland vs Swansea City. Premier League.
Stadium of LightAttendance39,198.
Saturday 22 August 2015 21:13, UK
Sunderland picked up their first point of the Premier League season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home to Swansea.
Garry Monk's side were the more dominant throughout the match and created the better chances, but Jermain Defoe's goal after an hour cancelled out Bafetimbi Gomis' first-half strike.
Sunderland fans demanded a reaction from their players after two desperate performances had seen them ship seven goals in their opening two games and they certainly got that at the Stadium of Light.
Jack Rodwell and Lee Cattermole led the charge in midfield, pressing Swansea high up the pitch and showing the kind of hunger the supporters had been looking for.
The return of John O'Shea, who started his first match of the new campaign, also seemed to steady the ship as the Black Cats looked more compact and solid all over the pitch.
Despite that, it was Swansea who had the better chances in the first half as Sunderland failed to carve out any clear-cut opportunities.
Andre Ayew has enjoyed a fine start to his Premier League career, with two goals in two games coming into this match, and he had the first chance, firing wide after 13 minutes.
Sunderland's Jeremain Lens was then booked after committing a couple of fouls, while Cattermole soon followed him into the book after clattering into Ayew from behind.
On the half-hour mark Kyle Naughton's knock down set up Gomis, but the striker's effort was saved easily by Costel Pantilimon.
A couple of minutes later Sunderland had a half chance as Yann M'Vila's free-kick into the box was headed into the path of Danny Graham who tried a spectacular overhead, kick but it deflected off of Jack Cork and fell nicely for Fabianski.
Graham was then in action at the other end as he was on hand to block Gylfi Sigurdsson's goal-bound effort.
Despite a much improved first-half full of endeavour, Sunderland went into the break 1-0 down.
Ayew did brilliantly to release Naughton, whose through ball found Gomis down the right-hand side of the penalty box, and the striker fired his effort across Sebastian Coates and Pantilimon into the far corner.
Montero started the second half with real intent; drawing the foul from Coates just on the edge of the box but from the resulting free-kick Jonjo Shelvey could only fire straight at Pantilimon.
Swansea went close shortly afterwards when Sunderland fell asleep at a quick corner and Shelvey's cross was met by the unmarked Ayew but his header came back off the post.
Pantilimon was then on hand to deny Montero whose low effort was at an awkward height for the big goalkeeper.
Ayew had another golden opportunity as he got on the end of Shelvey's cross but the forward could not connect with his header properly from eight yards.
Swansea were made to pay for that a moment later as Lens picked out Defoe with a delightful slide-rule pass and the former Tottenham striker fired the ball brilliantly into the bottom corner to level the match.
The home side had appeals for a penalty waved away a couple of minutes later as Rodwell's effort from distance appeared to strike the hand of Ashley Williams in the Swansea box.
Pantilimon was then called into action again to deny first Shelvey and then Sigurdsson, whose low effort looked to be creeping in the bottom corner before the former Manchester City 'keeper got a hand to it to turn it round the post.
The Sunderland goalkeeper then kept his side level after 73 minutes when he somehow got a hand to Gomis' point-blank header when it looked as though the Swansea striker had his second of the match.
Sunderland pressed forward in the final stages as they looked for a winner but wasted two good chances from free-kicks, both of which were around 20 yards out, as Lens hit the wall before Sebastian Larsson, who had come on as a substitute in time added on specifically for the set piece, suffered a similar result with his effort.
Soccer Saturday verdict - Phil Thompson
Swansea probably deserved it. Pantilimon made two saves, one of them a wonder save off Gomis when he clawed it out with his left hand. I think Swansea read everything that had been said about Sunderland. They came knowing what a good side they were and I think they have been a little complacent but they grew into it. They lost the goal when they were on top and Pantilimon has made a few saves, they created better chances.
The crowd were loving the effort and commitment from this Sunderland side. I think Jermain Defoe should play down the middle because this boy knows how to play the position. You get those balls and he starts his movement from left to right and it's just what he wants.
Player ratings
Sunderland: Costel Pantilimon 9, Billy Jones 7, Patrick Van Aanholt 6, John O'Shea 7, Sebastian Coates 5, Lee Cattermole 7, Jack Rodwell 7, Jeremain Lens 7, Yann M'Vila 6, Jermain Defoe 7, Danny Graham 6
Subs: Steven Fletcher 5, Duncan Watmore 5, Sebastian Larsson 5
Swansea: Lukasz Fabianski 6, Neil Taylor 7, Ashley Williams 6, Kyle Naughton 7, Federico Fernandez 7, Jonjo Shelvey 7, Andre Ayew 7, Jefferson Montero 7, Gylfi Sigurdsson 5, Jack Cork 6, Bafetimbi Gomis 7
Subs: Eder 5
Man of the Match: Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland)
