Cats put on spot in shoot-out loss
SUNDERLAND exited the Carabao Cup on penalties after their last-16 tie against Oxford United ended 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes.
Will Grigg blasted his spotkick over the bar and Marc McNulty saw his penalty saved, as the U’s won the shootout 4-2.
Rob Hall had given Oxford the lead midway through the first half at the Kassam Stadium but McNulty levelled in the final quarter-hour with what was the Black Cats’ only on-target shot of the match.
Sunderland hit the woodwork in each half, McNulty striking the post when the game was still goalless and George Dobson seeing a cross deflected on to the bar just before the equaliser came.
Oxford also had their chances to win in normal time, only a superb save from Jon McLaughlin keeping Tariqe Fosu at bay in the second half.
However, the game went to penaties and it was the Black Cats’ two frontmen who failed to convert, meaning Oxford go through to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Phil Parkinson made five changes to the side which started the weekend league defeat at Shrewsbury Town.
One of those was forced upon him, goalkeeper Lee Burge missing out with a thigh injury and Jon McLaughlin taking his place.
The other changes saw McNulty, Conor McLaughlin, Tom Flanagan and Grant Leadbitter come into the side to replace Luke O’Nien, Duncan Watmore, Chris Maguire and Grigg. The change in personnel suggested a switch in system to five at the back, with Flanagan the likely third centre-back and Conor McLaughlin likely to play at wing-back.
Sunderland started on the front foot but failed to carve out any chances and Oxford were a constant threat on the break.
The U’s almost went in front when Hall’s cross found Fosu unmarked at the far post and he had time to bring the ball under control, only to stab his shot into the sidenetting from a tight angle.
Sunderland hit the woodwork in the 25th minute when McNulty found space inside the box on the right and his shot beat Simon Eastwood - only to come back off the base of the far post.
Just seconds later Oxford took the lead, breaking forward quickly with Taylor and James Henry working the ball to Fosu inside the area on the left.
His return pass was behind Henry but it was into the path of the oncoming Hall, who drove home from the edge of the box.
Sunderland should have levelled just before half-time when McNulty seized on a loose ball at the back, got to the byline on the left and cut it back for Power who somehow managed to send his shot wide of the left-hand post from six yards out.
Early in the second half, only a brilliant save from McLaughlin prevented Baptiste finding the top right-hand corner after he found space inside the are.
At the other end, McNulty saw a shot blocked and McGeady fired the rebound wide from 25 yards out.
Sunderland stepped up the pressure in the final 20 minutes - and McNulty made it count on 78 minutes.
Leadbitter’s corner from the right came to the Scot at the far post and he had time to take a touch before sweeping home from inside the six-yard box.
That set up a the penalty shootout, which ended in heartbreak for the Black Cats and made it a third defeat in four games for new boss Parkinson.