Sunderland (0) 0- 3 (1) Fulham
Fulham scored just after the half-hour and then hit their
opponents decisively on the break in the second half as Sunderland fiddled
and flapped around and got precisely nowhere. The game was a triumph for
the visitors Japanese midfielder, Junichi Inamoto, who began the rout, and
then put Barry Hayles and Steve Marlet on the score sheet with identical
passes.
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Fulham star Junichi Inamoto starts Sunderland slaughter
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Fulham's Herculean effort in overturning a 2-0 deficit
against Tottenham in midweek had come at a cost. Injuries to Louis Saha,
Luis Boa Morte and Pierre Wome accounted for three changes to the team.
Steve Finnan was another name missing from the 16 while Facundo Sava
dropped to the substitutes' bench.
Marlet was left out in midweek but a hat-trick for the
reserves earned his recall. For Sunderland Marcus Stewart was making his
home debut after a deadline-eve switch from Ipswich. If he could match
Tore Andre Flo, who scored against Manchester United on his first
appearance at the Stadium of Light, then nobody on Wearside would be
complaining.
In this same fixture in January Fulham played splendidly
for 45 minutes before being forced to settle for a point. Yesterday they
were not so slick in possession early on and that encouraged hopes among
the home fans.
Stewart, keen to impress, gathered a nudge from Flo and
shot against Alain Goma. A neat Stewart flick, complimented by Matthew
Piper's astute back-heel, led to Stephen Wright firing the ball across.
No-one was there.
Edwin van der Sar then saved twice in quick succession,
first from Piper's header then from Flo's follow-up. Stewart passed up a
golden opportunity when a sharp pass from Claudio Reyna put him behind the
defence. Van der Sar was out quickly and a combination of his presence and
the challenge from Rufus Brevett crowded out the striker.
Fulham had barely threatened when they seized the lead,
Brevett's cross meeting a touch on from Hayles which left the ball with
Inamoto. One touch to control was followed by an immaculate finish with
his second; his fifth goal in four games.
| Match Stats |
S'Land |
Fulham |
| Goal attempts |
7 |
5 |
| On Target |
5 |
4 |
| Fouls |
10 |
13 |
| Corners |
11 |
6 |
| Yellows |
2 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: www.sportinglife.com |
There was more pressure for the visitors to withstand
before the interval. On one occasion, a sloppy Sean Davis back-pass tested
his defenders' resolution but, nine minutes into the second half, Fulham
punished Thomas Sorensen's weak clearance by scoring their second. Inamoto
could have returned the ball immediately towards goal but, instead, he fed
Hayles who held off Wright to plant the ball into the net. Marlet then
took another Inamoto pass to beat the stranded Sorensen and complete the
scoring 12 minutes from time.
The angry chorus calling for a change of Sunderland's
manager will become a ground swell if things do not quickly pick up.
Having persuaded his employers to part with more than £8 million to hire
two new strikers, Peter Reid could ill afford this, a second 3-0 defeat in
five days.
The angry chorus calling for a change of Sunderland's
manager will become a ground swell if things do not quickly pick up.
Having persuaded his employers to part with more than £8 million to hire
two new strikers, Peter Reid could ill afford this, a second 3-0 defeat in
five days.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, Wright, Bjorklund, Babb,
Butler (Quinn 56), McAteer (McCann 56), Reyna, Piper, Stewart,
Flo.
Subs Not Used: Bellion, Macho, Williams.
Booked:
Gray, Wright.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Brevett, Ouaddou, Goma,
Knight, Goldbaek, Inamoto (Collins 85), Davis, Legwinski, Marlet, Hayles
(Sava 76).
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Melville,
Stolcers.
Booked: Brevett, Hayles.
Goals: Inamoto 34,
Hayles 54, Marlet 78.
Att: 35,432
Ref: C Foy
(Merseyside)
Source S. Telegraph by Trevor Haylett