S’land 0 – 1 Hull City
Fabio Carvalho’s volley helped Hull to a 1-0 win over Sunderland on Friday night, which took them back into the Championship play-off places.
The 21-year-old forward – on loan from Liverpool until the end of the season – connected with a cross delivered by fellow Reds loanee Tyler Morton and hit a first-time effort that was taken over the line by a slight deflection.
Jack Clarke – as ever, the bright spark for the Black Cats – created six chances, but while Michael Beale’s men attempted 15 shots and won 12 corners, they were unable to prevent Ryan Allsop keeping a clean sheet – boos rung around the Stadium of Light as a result.
Hull replace Coventry in sixth place as a result of their first win in three games, while Sunderland – who would have taken sixth with only a draw – stay eighth, two points further behind.
Hull make statement in play-off hunt
Last April, Sunderland and Hull played out an enthralling 4-4 draw at the Stadium of Light. But following the theme of the return fixture on Boxing Day – a 1-0 win for the Black Cats – a goal-fest never really looked to be on the cards.
The Tigers stuck to their task of patiently and methodically attempting to play out from the back and through the thirds, persisting even when the Sunderland press hindered their ability to advance.
Equally, Sunderland struggled to find a way through themselves, despite some encouraging attacking play, unsurprisingly mostly from Clarke. Alex Pritchard tried a shot after a long, untracked run forward, but it was disappointing and straight at Allsop.
Fabio Carvalho gets his first goal for Hull in style as he puts the tigers ahead at the Stadium of Light.
Hull slowed the game down as the first half wore on, which attracted groans from the expectant home crowd, but their approach was not without its flaws; inside 43 minutes, five players had been shown yellow cards – the most of any team in the first half of Championship match this season.
It took more than an hour for the first real chance, which came when Allsop tipped over a powerful drive from Trai Hume, and then the first goal followed a spell of Sunderland pressure – but it went Hull’s way.
The ball was recycled and worked to Morton after a corner, with the midfielder delivering an inviting ball for Carvalho that the Portugal U21 international caught sweetly first time and directed home via a slight nick. It was the second of just two shots on the night from the visitors.
Sunderland stepped up their urgency thereafter and pushed and pushed for the equaliser, but it never came.
Beale: I would have been disappointed with a point – to lose is not good enough
Sunderland’s Michael Beale:
“We’re really disappointed because clearly we had more of the game than Hull and we concede from the only corner after they only had two efforts in the game. It’s poor from us on the corner. But, with the amount of possession we had, the amount of shots we had, our quality in the final third wasn’t good enough and it’s something that’s on me as the manager to solve.
“I felt we’d have been disappointed with a point tonight, let alone not winning the game, so to lose it is not good enough.
“When the ball’s in and around the box, we need to be more ruthless. It’s nothing that’s new for us or nothing we don’t know as a football club; we have to keep working with these players to get there.
“You can hear it with the fans that there’s a lot of frustration at the moment because we feel we deserve more in games and we’re finding out the hard way at the minute that, if we don’t deal with minor moments in the game, they can end up costing us massively.”
Rosenior: If you don’t play well, you must find ways to win
Hull’s Liam Rosenior:
“That was really pleasing. We’ve been through a difficult spell and the players showed brilliant togetherness, spirit, energy and a moment of real quality wins us the game. It’s a difficult strike for Fabio; I know it takes a deflection, but the technique to stay over the ball is exactly the reason why we’ve brought him to the club.
“It’s amazing, football. I’m trying to get this group to learn on the job a little bit. We’re quite a young team. The lesson for me as a young coach and us as a young team is that, in the Championship, if you don’t play well, you have to find ways to win.
“The lads showed everyone who watched the game today what they are about. They are a great group. They are going to make mistakes and I’m going to make mistakes, but they are as honest, hard-working and committed a group as you could ask for and they showed that in bucket-loads today.”
What’s next?
Sunderland are back in action at 3pm on Saturday January 27, when they welcome Stoke to the Stadium of Light.
Hull, meanwhile, do not play until a week later, on Saturday February 3, when they host Millwall at the MKM Stadium.
