COLEMAN COMES UP TRUMPS WITH MAJA’S MOMENT OF MAGIC
IT WAS a brave move by Sunderland boss Chris Coleman, bringing on two teenage rookies at the expense of senior strikers Lewis Grabban and James Vaughan as the clock ticked towards one year without a home win. But then Coleman does not want for courage. After all, he took on the challenge of a team at the bottom of the Championship with no money to spend. So perhaps he will have to find answers in the club’s academy, where the likes of match-winner Josh Maja and striker partner Joel Asoro — both 18 — have long been talked of as deserving a shot at the firstteam. Josh and Joel sound more like X-Factor hopefuls, but this double act have already proved an instant hit with supporters. For so long the club’s loyal following has been starved of hope, of something on the pitch in which to invest their belief. So the sight of debutant Maja ending their 22-match wait for a home win made it all the sweeter. They have a new hero. Maja, who joined the club aged 16 from Fulham, had only been on the pitch for five minutes when he collected a pass, spun in the area and slotted into the bottom corner. ‘It was just a crazy feeling to score my first goal, especially when it’s against my old club,’ said the London-born forward, who has committed his international future to Nigeria. ‘The goal was a bit of a blur. I’ll be watching it again and again, enjoying the moment, but I’m determined to stay grounded. It’s a great feeling when the fans reacted so positively to myself and Joel coming on. ‘I think they’ve been waiting for us to play together and hopefully we can keep doing it.’ Asoro, identified by
Sportsmail’s Secret Scout as having huge potential, has played nine times for Sweden Under 21s and, like Maja, has Nigerian parents. Both youngsters are blessed with skill and pace and it has not taken Coleman long to realise the value of their raw enthusiasm. ‘He’s got more belief in us young ones,’ said Maja, who was one of seven players aged 23 or under who featured against Fulham. ‘He’s helped us so much on the training pitch, he’s given us the confidence to show what we can do. ‘Myself and Joel have always been seen as a bit of a double act. We’re very close friends and I suppose there’s a bit of friendly competition between us now after he got an assist at Burton a couple of weeks ago. ‘When the manager takes off two experienced players and replaces them with us two, it’s a big gamble. I’m just so pleased we took the opportunity.’ Of his supersub, Coleman said: ‘The possibilities are endless, he is young and he has given himself a great chance to stay in and around the first team. ‘When moments like that happen, you’re a youngster and win the game, he’ll feel that reaction forever now. What a debut that was.’