Brentford 1 Sunderland 1: Janelt nets in hard-fought draw at the Gtech | OneFootball

Vitaly Janelt’s second-half opener was cancelled out by a late Enzo Le Fée penalty as Brentford drew 1-1 with Sunderland at Gtech Community Stadium.

Janelt broke the deadlock with a thunderous finish in the 57th minute, but Sunderland responded when Le Fée converted from the spot after Keane Lewis-Potter was adjudged to have fouled Wilson Isidor.

Keith Andrews made one change to Brentford’s starting XI, with Dango Ouattara replacing Jaidon Anthony in the Bees’ front three. New signing El Hadji Malick Diouf was named among the substitutes.

It was an eventful start at the Gtech. Nilson Angulo created the Black Cats’ first opening, driving beyond Michael Kayode on the left before cutting the ball back for Noah Sadiki. The midfielder exchanged passes with Brian Brobbey and shaped to shoot, but Nathan Collins arrived to make an important intervention.

Brentford then threatened from a cleverly worked short corner. Mikkel Damsgaard exchanged passes with Janelt before drilling a low cross into the centre, where Lewis-Potter’s first-time effort was blocked by Kevin Danso’s outstretched leg.

Sunderland thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute. Collins struggled to clear Granit Xhaka’s lofted free-kick and Dan Ballard lashed the loose ball beyond Caoimhín Kelleher, but the goal was disallowed after a lengthy VAR review, with Danso adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position.

An injury to Collins prompted an early Bees substitution as Jannik Schuster entered the action for his Premier League debut.

In the 20th minute, Brobbey laid the ball into the path of Le Fée on the edge of the area. The midfielder took the shot in his stride and sent a fierce effort crashing against Kelleher’s left post.

Schuster was quickly involved, blocking Thomas Meunier’s drive after Sadiki had cut the ball back from the byline.

Sunderland went close again. Sadiki’s first-time attempt appeared destined for the top corner, but Brobbey inadvertently blocked his team-mate’s effort on the line and was flagged offside.

In the third of eight additional minutes, Lewis-Potter lifted a cross into the area. Ouattara rose above the crowd and directed his header across the face of goal, where Lewis-Potter attempted to nod the ball back into the danger zone. It struck Nordi Mukiele and went behind for a corner.

Lewis-Potter then picked out Mamadou Sangaré on the edge of the area, but the midfielder fired over the crossbar.

Andrews shuffled his pack at the start of the second half, introducing Aaron Hickey, Yehor Yarmoliuk and Anthony in place of Kayode, Sangaré and Ouattara.

Lewis-Potter’s cross was met by Thiago, whose downward header bounced awkwardly in front of Roefs and was pushed away. Brentford kept the attack alive, but Anthony fired over from outside the area.

Brentford were much improved after the restart and took the lead in the 57th minute. Mukiele could only head Damsgaard’s deep cross into the path of Janelt, who raced onto the loose ball and hammered it beyond the helpless Roefs for his second Premier League goal inside the opening three games.

Kelleher was equal to Sadiki’s poked effort from inside the six-yard box, while Xhaka’s free-kick flew over the crossbar, as the Black Cats went in search of an equaliser.

At the other end, Schade’s long throw dropped to Lewis-Potter via the head of a Sunderland defender. The full-back struck at the first opportunity, but his effort bounced into the ground and over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Thiago’s cross from the left side of the box caused confusion between Ballard and Roefs, allowing Anthony to bundle the ball over the line. However, VAR quickly intervened and the goal was ruled out for a foul on the Sunderland goalkeeper, who appeared to have both hands on the ball.

Isidor tested Kelleher with a free-kick from 25 yards in the 79th minute. With Xhaka also standing over the ball, the forward drove low and hard towards goal, forcing the Brentford goalkeeper to parry.

Moments later, Sunderland were awarded a penalty when Lewis-Potter was adjudged to have fouled Isidor as a cross was swung into the box. Le Fée sent Kelleher the wrong way from the spot, finding the bottom corner with a low finish.

There were chances at both ends during the closing stages.

Schade’s long throw earned Brentford a corner in the 90th minute, with Ballard diverting the ball over the crossbar as Thiago waited to pounce. Schuster met Lewis-Potter’s resulting delivery but glanced wide.

Le Fée then sent a half-volley well over before Brobbey held off Hickey and dragged his attempt wide.

Brentford continued to push, but Mukiele was well positioned to clear Anthony’s deep cross with Thiago lurking behind him.

Brentford (4-3-3): Kelleher; Kayode (Hickey HT), Ajer, Collins (Schuster 17), Lewis-Potter; Sangaré (Yarmoliuk HT), Janelt, Damsgaard (Wilson 86), Ouattara (Anthony HT), Thiago, Schade

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Henry, Carvalho, Diouf

Sunderland (5-4-1): Roefs; Meunier (Hume 64), Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Angulo (Isidor 64), Sadiki (Fofana 74), Xhaka, Le Fée; Brobbey

Subs not used: Ellborg, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie, Ahoka, Rigg

Attendance: 17,131

Andrews on Sunderland stalemate

Keith Andrews shared his thoughts on Brentford's 1-1 draw against Sunderland.

“It was a game that had a lot in it, that’s for sure,” said the Bees head coach.

“I thought they played well in the first half and we didn’t hit the levels that we have done in recent weeks.

“That’s why we have a squad, we were able to make changes and I thought the subs coming on and the approach of the squad in the second half was more like us.

“We got ourselves in front, unfortunately we couldn’t quite see that out and get the three points.”

Schuster left with mixed emotions after Premier League debut

Jannik Schuster expressed mixed emotions after making his Premier League debut as a 17th-minute replacement for the injured Nathan Collins.

“First of all, I’m happy to have made my debut,” he said. “It was a good game, but we could have done a little bit better – and I could have done a little bit better – to get the three points.

“It’s a crazy feeling, a little bit of an, ‘I’ve made it’ feeling. But now it’s important to keep going and hopefully there will be more Premier League games to come.”

On his earlier-than-expected introduction, Schuster added: “It was a surprise because, at first, it didn’t look too bad for Nathan. But sometimes it’s better to come on when you have no time to be nervous.”