SESS MAKES SURE OF CAPITAL GAIN
FULHAM 1 SUNDERLAND 3 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2012
Impressive Sunderland secured a much-needed victory, beating Fulham 3-1 to pick up only their second win of the Premier League season.
Martin O’ Neill’ s Black Cats made the breakthrough five minutes into the second half in fantastic style as tremendous pass from Adam Johnson was finished off by Steven Fletcher.
The ball was curled invitingly in front of the Scotland striker from way back on the left wing; and its clinical disposal – Fletcher cushioning the ball with his left foot before flicking it with the outside of his boot across the exposed Mark Schwarzer – was far from the only quality on display from Sunderland.
Stephan eS es segnon’ s spectacular early contender for the Black Cats Goal of the Season was almost worth the 19-match wait since his last goal.
And, at the other end of the pitch, two stunning second-half saves from Simon Mignolet played as much a part in the victory as the goals that flowed from the left foot of Fletcher, the head of Carlos Cuellar and the right boot of Sessegnon, after Mladen Petric had drawn Fulham level.
Sessegnon’s strike was outstanding as Sunderland counter-attacked from a Fulham corner.
Sessegnon fed Fletcher before taking a return pass on the left of goal, level with the 18-yard-box.
The Benin international had had an excellent game, ducking and darting all over the pitch, and he capped it in that moment with a fabulous strike – moving the ball inside before striking a curling and outswinging effort from 20 yards which found the far post and cannoned into the back of the net.
Fulham skipper Brede Hangeland’s first-half dismissal, after the Norwegian clattered into Lee Cattermole with a two-footed challenge as the pair vied to contest a 50-50 ball, was the pivotal moment of the match.
Cattermole told the Echo: “At the time, I thought it was two-footed and the rules say that you can’t do that.
“It was unfortunate and not malicious. I don’t think it was too bad, but you can’t do that.”
On the game, the Teessider added: “This was a massive game for us and we got the three points we deserved. It’s something we can build on. We’ll take a lot of confidence from that and keep working and try to climb the table.”