Maja gets more minutes in U23s’ defeat

Josh Maja got 60 minutes under his belt as he continued his comeback from injury with Sunderland’s Under-23s.

The highly-rated youngster has been out of action since pre-season, but continued his push to be part of Chris Coleman’s first-team plans by getting some valuable minutes under his belt at Eppleton.

However, the forward was unable to stop Elliott Dickman’s side crashing to a 2-0 defeat against Swansea City.

Sunderland struggled to get going in the first half, and the Jacks were always the bigger threat. Luke Molyneux headed wide late in the opening period, but a minute before the interval Swansea went ahead from the penalty spot.

Brandon taylow was adjudged to have brought down Kenji Gorre in the box and Oli McBurnie stepped up to convert.

McBurnie nearly doubled the lead in the second half from a header, but was thwarted by Max Stryjek.

Swansea were reduced to 10 men late on when Cian Harries was dismissed for a second bookable offence after pulling back Andrew Nelson but Sunderland couldn’t capitalise and instead, McBurnie sealed the visitors’ win in injury time.

Sunderland: Stryjek, J Robson, Hume, Bale (Greenwood, 74), Taylor, Beadling, Molyneux, E Robson, Nelson, Maja (Diamond, 60), Embleton. Not used: Storey, Talbot, Allan