Sunderland AFC 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
by Roger Domeneghetti
at the Stadium of Light

ROBERTO DE ZERBI’S rescue mission got off to a losing start against Sunderland this afternoon.

Tottenham’s new manager saw Sunderland’s winning goal come courtesy of an outrageous deflection and his captain, Cristian Romero, join the club’s lengthy injury list.

But truth be told, Sunderland were deserved winners. They took the lead midway through the second half. Nordi Mukiele receiving the ball on the wing, before driving in field. The Spurs players backed away, then backed away some more, affording him more space than he seemed to know what to do with. His effort wasn’t great, but it ricocheted off Micky van de Ven, floating past the hapless Antonin Kinsky and into the net. It was no less than the Black Cats deserved.

Spurs’ best chance was arguably one that never came. They were awarded a penalty after Randal Kolo Muani threw himself to the ground after a double challenge from Omar Alderete and Luke O’Nien. Rob Jones was sent to the monitor and duly overturned his initial decision.

Antonin Kinsky, in goal for the visitors for the first time since his disastrous Champions League appearance against Atletico Madrid, looked reasonably assured. He ended the half with a point-blank save from Brian Brobbey, ensuring that, for the first time in three months, Tottenham reached half-time without conceding a goal.

It was an improvement of sorts, but it didn’t last. With Forest’s draw at Villa, they are rooted in the bottom three with just six games to save their season.