Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 4-0 win at home to 10-man fellow strugglers Cardiff City yesterday.
Connor Wickham headed northeast side Sunderland, who began the game at the bottom of the table, into a 28th-minute lead at the Stadium of Light
The deadlock-breaking goal arrived thanks to some abject defending from the visitors.
Photo: Reuters
Former Sunderland forward Fraizer Campbell missed an attempted clearing header from Seb Larsson’s corner, allowing the ball across the six-yard area to the far post. Wickham comfortably held off a challenge from defender Kevin Theophile-Catherine to send a looping header over Whittingham on the line and into the opposite far corner.
The match turned decisively in favor of the home side on the stroke of half-time.
Wickham burst clear and was bearing down on goal when his shirt was tugged by Cardiff center-back Juan Cala, whose poor back-pass had let him in.
Phil Dowd played an initial advantage, but when Wickham, who had stayed on his feet and not gone down, was forced wide and saw his cross blocked, the referee blew for a penalty and sent Cala off.
Fabio Borini, as he had done in Sunderland’s shock win over Chelsea, scored from the spot and Sunderland were 2-0 up at the break.
Emanuele Giaccherini put the result beyond doubt by making it 3-0 in the 76th minute, before Wickham headed in his second goal four minutes from time.
Sunderland’s victory saw Gus Poyet’s side move above Norwich, who dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference, with a game in hand on the teams around them at the foot of the table.
Given their goal-difference, they are effectively three points adrift of safety with just two games remaining. They make an immediate return to the northeast of England next week against out of form Newcastle United, before finishing the campaign at home to Chelsea on May 11.
An elated Wickham told the BBC: “I’m over the moon. I can’t ask for much more.”
“We’ve got fighters in the dressing room. We’ve got determination and grit and that’s why we’re doing well lately. Hopefully, this will give us a boost,” Wickham said.
“We’re out of the relegation zone and we’ll keep fighting to stay there,” he added.
Defeat plunged Cardiff to the bottom, two points shy of safety with two games to play.
Yesterday’s other Premier League matches could have a huge bearing on the outcome of the title race.
At Anfield, leaders Liverpool were to face second-placed Chelsea knowing victory could see them go eight points clear of Jose Mourinho’s men with two games to play as they seek to become English champions for the first time since 1990.
Third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, were looking to maintain the pressure on the top two away to south London side Crystal Palace in the third of yesterday’s Premier League matches.
Arsenal are scheduled to play ninth-placed Newcastle today.
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