SUNDERLAND have planted one foot in the League One Play-Off final courtesy of Ross Stewart’s first half strike.
The Black Cats flexed their muscles without allowing Sheffield Wednesday to conjure up many clear cut chances.
But they still have a mission to complete when they meet the Owls again in THREE days time.
- RESULT: Sunderland 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, Wright, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch, Evans, O’Nien, Clarke, Roberts, Pritchard, Stewart
- Sheffield Wednesday XI: Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Storey, Dean, Hutchinson, Johnson, Byers, Luongo, Bannan, Berahino, Gregory
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
That is all!
That’s all from us on SunSport tonight, and sees the end of our coverage of Sunderland vs Sheffield Wednesday.
It was an action packed game that saw Sunderland take a 1-0 lead in the first leg of this one.
Join us again for the second leg on Monday night at Hillsborough.
Goodnight!
Sunderland manager Alex Neil applauds the fansCredit: PA Darren Moore reacts
On the goal:
“It was avoidable… Maybe Sam was going to play it back but he opened his body too much and Ross took the goal very very well.
“I think the pleasing thing tonight was I didn’t think we were that good in possession, I didn’t think we used it as well as what we can do.
“But it has to be credited to the boys, they were spirited, they were dogged and coming here we knew it was going to be a very, very difficult game when the crowd gets up like this.
“I thought the game lived up to what we though it was going to do, two teams in form, they have gone head to head and credit to Sunderland tonight, they played very well.”
“Only half the job done”
Alex Pritchard stated it was “Only half the job done” post-match when looking forward to Monday’s return fixture.
It is set to be an absolute cracker at Hillsborough, you cannot call it.
Ross Stewart reflects
On his goal:
“I was just chasing it down… it’s part of the job and I was able to get in there and nick it off the defender and run in and put it away so it was good to get the goal just before half time.”
On being worried if he had missed:
“I think the keeper made a good stop on the first one”
On the atmosphere:
“The noise in here tonight was spectacular… The players really thrived off it… It was great to give them something to get excited about.”
Alex Pritchard speaks
On the game and the win:
“It’s only half the job done
“The atmosphere at their place is going to be electric as well, so I think we have just got to stand up to it, it’s massive. It’s going to be big.”
What a crowd!
It was an immense showing from the crowd tonight at the Stadium of Light.
There was a record attendance for a play-off game with 44,742 people.
Fans form the eyes of a black cat, Sunderland’s nickname.Credit: Getty Far from finished!
This one is far from over we can tell you that!
It will be settled at Hillsborough on Monday, and Barry Bannan clearly believes that as he gees up the away fans.
A gentle reminder that Wednesday won 3-0 at Hillsborough earlier this season.
Sunderlandâs Ross Stewart misses a late chanceCredit: PA Full Time. Sunderland 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday!
Whipped in by Bannan
94. And cleared by Batth.
Sunderland have a free kick that is set to be retaken due to the ball still moving.
Wednesday corner.
93. It is a late corner for Sheffield Wednesday.
The most prolific corner scorers in the league remember…
Another change.
92. Callum Doyle is coming on for Jack Clarke, for real this time.
FOUR added minutes
There are four minutes added on in this one.
Mistake falls to Stewart!
89. Peacock-Farrell tries to header the ball down to Hutchinson, and it is picked up by Ross Stewart.
He calms things down and perhaps should have looked for goal at the first sight.
Change for Wednesday.
87. It is a straight swap.
George Byers night is over, and on comes Dele-Bashiru, the brother of Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Sunderland holding the ball
86. They are going to look to see this one out Sunderland.
They surge forward and win a corner with a fast break.
Anxious times
84. Sunderland are pretty packed in here, and Wednesday are patiently building up play around the box.
Palmer is finding some good areas in the right wing back position.
Ten to go.
82. There are around ten minutes left here at The Stadium of Light.
Can Sunderland add another?
Or will we witness a crazy last gasp equaliser from Wednesday?
We shall see.
A Delay
82. There was a delay over the substitution as Jack Clarke was mistakenly taken off for Patrick Roberts.
It is over now, and Jack Clarke remains in the action.
Double change
79. It is a Sunderland double change.
Patrick Roberts and Alex Pritchard are leaving the field.
Alex Embleton and Jay Matete are coming on.
Both of the players coming off have been sublime today, they can hold their heads high.
So close Wednesday!
77. That is such a good chance! The ball is whipped in from the left side and it is misjudged by the Sunderland keeper, it is really fortunate to fall to a Sunderland defender and subsequently cleared.
Palmer misses!
76. It is a great ball from Massimo Luongo, the Australian whips a ball towards Palmer at the back post, but his free header is over the bar.
Goal kick.
23 Touches.
73. We highlighted before the second half how Wednesday need to get Bannan on the ball if they are to do something here.
He has had the third fewest touches this match, only Berahino who was subbed off and Josh Windass who was subbed on have had less.
Perhaps that is why they are still behind, he is their best player.
Corner Sheffield Wednesday
71. They have the most goals in League One from corners with 17, but this one comes to nothing.
The ball is cleared later for another Wednesday corner.
This one is whipped deep and wasted, again.
Hit and hope
70. It is another wasted cross from Sunderland, this time it is Alex Pritchard.
He does really well to get in a good position but the cross is again, not his finest.
Good effort!
69. It is a good effort from Roberts from the right hand side, but it is just wide of the far post. Goal kick.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
