Talking Points: Sunderland Rally To Stun Bournemouth!

The day began as we got off at St Peter’s Metro just before 1:00pm and buying my programme from the seller under the station platform — as is now my tradition — before walking to the Dun Cow pub via the new Keel Crossing.

Auspiciously, a nice portrait of Enzo Le Fée staring moodily from the front cover greeted me — appropriate, as he was one of many “man of the match” candidates from an enthralling game.

We left the Dun Cow at 2.30pm, arriving at the ground about ten minutes later and being met with the longest queues I’ve seen at turnstiles 13-14. We got to our seats a minute before kick off — soaked to the skin — as it decided to lash it down as we were lining up.

As we were settling down, Chemsdine Talbi had a couple of runs at goal before a slip by Nordi Mukiele to the right of our goal let in Bournemouth, who hit the post with Amine Adli slotting home the rebound. The biblical rains were playing a part and were a factor in Mukiele’s slip.

0-1 down against the run of play, the crowd roared the team on as the players kicked off for the restart. In the fourteenth minute a wasted corner from Granit Xhaka saw the ball find its way to the centre of the pitch where Tyler Adams, seeing Robin Roefs off his line, audaciously punted the ball into the net before it bounced back into play.

We could see it had gone over the line from our position at the North Stand eighteen-yard line in the Premier Concourse, and this was confirmed as referee Tim Robinson pointed to his watch to indicate the goal-line technology had spotted a goal.

0-2 down to an error and a freak goal gave us a lot to do — especially when Bournemouth almost scored a third, but despite their dominance in the first part of the first half, they were constantly whinging, throwing themselves on the floor, feigning injuries and wasting time.

Finally, some luck came our way as Alex Scott was adjudged to have fouled Reinildo Mandava and Le Fée stuck the penalty away with aplomb.

A minute later, a more convincing penalty claim was waved away but throughout the first half, Bournemouth started to dominate midfield and Sunderland were losing the ball more than them.

The second half saw Sunderland equalise through Bertrand Traorè — his first goal for the club — as Xhaka threaded a pass down the right wing and he slotted it home low past the goalkeeper.

It was “hearts in mouths” time a minute later as Bournemouth had the ball in the back of the net, but Brazilian Evanilson was well offside.

On sixty two minutes, Régis Le Bris changed the game with his substitutions. Off came Traoré, Wilson Isidor and Talbi, to be replaced by Trai Hume, Brian Brobbey and Romaine Mundle. There was only one team in it and on seventy minutes, we took the lead through a Brobbey header from Le Fée’s cross.

Cue pandemonium!

Bournemouth upped the ante and tried to turn the screw, but they were tired and drained due to the conditions and the red and white wizards held firm for their first ever victory in the Premier League after going 2-0 down.

This was such an important win against a tough side — and it showed that we are where we are in the league on merit.