An injury time equaliser from one time SAFC target Younes Kaboul denied Sunderland a much needed victory against bottom side Portsmouth on Saturday. It’s a really poor result for SAFC who took the lead when Darren Bent struck in the first half but we spurned several good chances before surrendering to Kaboul’s sucker punch at the death.

Going into the game Steve Bruce had a selection headache in defence with suspensions and injuries to Ferdinand Bardsley and Richardson which left us pondering who would start at the back. Fulop began in goal behind a back four of Nos, Turner, Da Silva and McCartney. In midfield we had Reid left, Campbell right with Cana and Henderson in the engine room. Up front Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones.

Sunderland started well and Campbell had an effort which deflected for a corner before Jones tested David James with a volley. James spilled Jones’ effort and it looked to be spinning over the line but he recovered in time.

Portsmouth offered little going forward and there only effort in the first half was a long range effort from Michael Brown which sailed wide.

We took the lead with a well worked goal and Jordan Henderson must receive the plaudits for his great play on the wing. He teased the Portsmouth fullback with a few faints before megging him and delivering a great ball to the back post. Reid cushioned the cross into the path of Bent who slotted into the bottom corner on the turn with his left foot.

Having taken the lead I thought we could turn the screw and we did have a couple more chances before half time with Henderson having a shot saved then a curling shot from the edge of the box glance past the post.

At half time I thought Portsmouth couldn’t play any worse second half and they didn’t as they upped the tempo with O’Hara looking their most threatening player. The lads seemed content with their slender one goal lead and invited pressure from Pompey, athough we defended fairly well in the box.

Jones forced a James into action once again with a volley from twenty yards and then Bent had a goal bound shot blocked last ditch by the defender. Andy Reid went closest to doubling the lead for Sunderland from a free kick from about twenty five yards but his curling effort bounced off the bar. Then on a surging run forward Nyron found himself in a great position to cross but he decided to shoot and blaze over.

As we neared full time the crowd became restless with the narrow lead and Sunderland invited even more pressure from Portsmouth. In injury time Nyron lost possession cheaply in their half which set off events which would see Pompey get their equaliser. The goalscorer Kaboul almost equalised when Turner missed a cross but Henderson did well to get in a block for a corner. However Sunderland sloppily failed to clear the resulting corner and Kaboul notched to earn a share of the spoils. The defender who snubbed us last summer after a late night casino session with Appy Arry was then sent off after receiving a second yellow card for taking his shirt off when celebrating but there was hardly any time left for Sunderland to capitalise on this as the full time whistle shortly followed.

A right nightmare conceding to late but we only have ourselves to blame for failing to take our own chances and then inviting a poor team like Portsmouth to come and attack us. With our abysmal away form showing no sign of improving these are the sorts of games we really need to be winning comprehensively. Not good enough.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Portsmouth 1

ALS Man of the Match: Jordan Henderson

Aidan Crowe

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