Sunderland are safe in the Premier League after a pulsating 3-2 derby victory over Middlesbrough.
Pogatetz own goal in injury-time seals vital three points
Roy Keane's Sunderland are safe in the Premier League after a pulsating 3-2 North-East derby victory over Middlesbrough.
Boro took the lead in the fourth minute through a left-footed Tuncay shot but the Black Cats were level just two minutes later when Danny Higginbotham rose well to head home a Danny Collins cross.
Michael Chopra then gave Sunderland the lead in first-half injury-time with a fantastic goal which went in off the crossbar.
Afonso Alves then equalised in the 73rd minute but Emanuel Pogatetz headed in an own goal in injury-time under pressure from Daryl Murphy to give the Black Cats a famous victory and leave Boro still in the relegation mire.
Perfect start
In an exciting opening to the game, Alves and Tuncay had already combined once to split the home rearguard, but Roy Keane's men did not heed the warning and when the Brazilian slid his Turkish counterpart through the cover, he fired past Craig Gordon to get Boro off to the perfect start.
Sunderland's response was instant and had it not been for Andrew Taylor's heroic block in front of goal, they would have been back on level terms within seconds.
In the event, it took them just two minutes to restore parity when Higginbotham powered a header past Brad Jones from Collins' cross.
Tuncay might have helped himself to a second goal when he met Stewart Downing's 27th-minute cross with a downward header, but his effort flew agonisingly wide of the post with Gordon beaten.
However, Chopra came up with the perfect reply when, in injury-time, he ran on to Liam Miller's through ball, and having skipped past David Wheater with the help of a ricochet, blasted a left-foot shot home off the underside of the bar.
Sunderland were quick to re-establish their momentum after the break and after Chopra had seen an early shot blocked, Kenwyne Jones might have increased their lead within two minutes of the restart.
The £6million man did well to hold off both Wheater and Pogatetz, but as the keeper came out to meet him, he could only stub his shot straight at him.
Chopra might have done better when he fired high over after running on to Carlos Edwards' 51st-minute pass, and a harsh offside flag robbed him of another chance to test Jones four minutes later.
Frenetic pace
Kenwyne Jones and Pogatetz both needed treatment for cuts after a clash of heads as the battle continued at a frenetic pace.
But it was Chopra who went close to his side's third goal with 68 minutes gone when he poked Dean Whitehead's cross towards goal only to see Jones make a fine reaction save.
It was then that Boro started the final push, and had it not been for vital blocks from Whitehead and Gordon, Stewart Downing might have levelled after 73 minutes.
However, the home defence cracked seconds later when Julio Arca's deflected shot ran to Alves, who did not make the cleanest of contacts, but got enough on the ball to slide it past the keeper and just inside the far post.
But with the clock having ticked into five minutes of injury-time, Murphy caught Jones all at sea at the near post to glance Grant Leadbitter's corner home for a precious late winner.
| Sunderland |
Team Statistics |
Middlesbrough |
| 3 |
Goals |
2 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 7 |
Corners |
1 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
10 |
| 4 |
Offsides |
5 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 61.9 |
Passing Success |
63.7 |
| 16 |
Tackles |
14 |
| 81.2 |
Tackles Success |
85.7 |
| 60.1 |
Possession |
39.9 |
| 58.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
41.3 |
|
