CITY 4 SUNDERLAND 2
Report by Eddie Blount
Don’t be fooled by the scoreline which might suggest that this was something of a contest. It wasn’t! City played some marvellous attacking football and could have, should have taken the score into double figures. Sunderland on the other hand showed some promise going forward but defensively City simple swept them away.
Strange to say that the opening 10 minutes were a war of attrition with City probing from the back – no long balls please, we’re Italian – and Sunderland playing with a minimum of 10 men behind the ball. It made you recall that both of last season’s league games finished 0 -0. This all changed when Sunderland mounted their first attack which produced panic in the City penalty area with only a touch needed to open the scoring. From the resulting corner a weak header straight at Schmeichel from a clear chance brought relief.
As if galvanised by this City attacked furiously down the left and Albrighton’s cross was glanced across the goal by Vardy, from some distance and very wide left, allowed to bounce by the Black Cats defence, and finished up creeping in at the far post. Keeper Pantilimon was furious with his defenders and rightly so though he also was not without blame.
The capacity crowd reacted predictably and the King Power roar further unnerved the anxious visitors. City now attacked full on and it came as no surprise when a glancing header from Mahrez from yet another left wing cross finished up in the same place as Vardy’s earlier header. This ended a lovely creative move which began deep in City’s half and featured some breath taking short passing before the final release ball.
We were now back in late season 2014-15 mode and another goal was not long in coming. Mahrez, who had a fantastic game (thankfully we have him on a new 4-year contract), ghosted in from the right flank gliding past defenders with ease. His arrival at the edge of the box, clearly intending to set up a left-foot strike, caused panic plus in the Sunderland defence and Mahrez was predictably upended just inside the box.
It was an easy penalty decision and Mahrez took it himself and scored with consummate ease. So 3-0 after 20 minutes! How it remained at that score till half time was amazing as City created several more excellent chances without managing to convert any. I can only say it was like watching England bowl at Australia at Trent Bridge.
The second half was a virtual repeat of the first – in all but the score which shows that the visitors won this half 2-1 in spite of being totally outplayed. If City had a fault today it was the failure to convert many golden chances into goals.
The crowd sang delightedly that ‘We are top of the league’ but many were nervous at City’s inability to go out of sight and Sunderland’s habit of scoring from virtually their only forays into our penalty area. Their first was nicely created by slick passing around our box before a final ball gave Defoe a chance he could not miss and the second featured one of Schmeichel’s occasional rushes of blood to the head when he sprinted out of goal and was lobbed for substitute Fletcher to score with a simple header in spite of a herculean effort by Morgan to stop him. Sandwiched inbetween Albrighton relieved the pressure somewhat by shooting on the turn past Pantilimon from close range.
Ranieri eventually put a stop to the fun and games by using his substitutions to strengthen the defensive side of the team. He had played a 3-5-2 system from the start but moved for the last 20 minutes to 4-4-2. Thus the game moved gently to its conclusion in stark contrast to the high excitement of earlier events.
One strange refereeing decision is worth checking on Match of the Day. A through ball put Vardy in on goal – for the third time – and keeper Pantilimon lost his bearings and handled the ball on the edge of the D, a red card offence preventing Vardy from making use of a clear scoring chance. Neither the referee nor his linesman saw the offence in spite of it seeming obvious to the entire crowd
All City’s players contributed well to the collective cause but apart from Mahrez special mention goes to Okazaki who put in a magnificent shift for the team. He worked tirelessly, running into space, tackling, harassing, chasing – exactly the sort of performance that will endear him to City fans. Ditto Vardy!
Credit also to King and Drinkwater who have added major defensive qualities to their game in 2015, whilst Schlupp struck panic into the heart of Sunderland’s defenders with every surge he made from midfield. All in all wonderful entertainment and a great opening result.
City: Schmeichel, De Laet (Benalouane 75), Huth, Morgan, Allbrighton, King, Drinkwater, Mahrez (Fuchs 77), Schlupp, Okazaki, Vardy (Kante 82)
Sunderland: Pantilimon, Jones (Matthews 54), Coates, Kaboul, Cattermole (Fletcher 30), Johnson, Larsson, Rodwell, Lens, Defoe
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation