Sunderland’s European decider v Chelsea, the moments you may have missed | OneFootball

Sunderland clinched European football for the first time since 1973 as the Stadium of Light crackled on a nerve shredding final day.

According to Sunderland Echo, these were the key moments before, during and after a decider that felt years in the making.

The Black Cats started 10th on 51 points, one behind Chelsea and Brentford and two off Brighton, so a win plus help elsewhere could open the door. It was Chelsea’s first league visit in almost a decade, their last on 14 December 2016 ended 1-0 to the visitors.

The noise was ferocious and a pre-match display evoked the Sheffield Wednesday play-off, cat eyes blazing in the stands. Robin Roefs denied Cole Palmer early, penalty appeals at both ends were waved away, then Trai Hume struck from the right after Luke O’Nien’s pass.

At the break Sunderland sat seventh, with Brentford level at Liverpool and Brighton trailing 2-1 at Manchester United.

Soon after the restart Brian Brobbey’s chance for 2-0 drew a strong stop from Robert Sanchez. Around the hour, with Sunderland 2-1 up, Noah Sadiki raged when Roefs delayed a quick release, and Régis Le Bris sent on Wilson Isidor and Habib Diarra for Brobbey and Nilson Angulo.

Wesley Fofana then saw red for a second booking. Diarra had the chance to make it 3-1 but slipped and blazed over.

Ten minutes were added and the crowd roared every tackle as United led Brighton 3-0 and Liverpool drew 1-1 with Brentford.

Gary Rowell’s name echoed late on. At full-time O’Nien celebrated with Lynden Gooch and Dan Neil, Dan Ballard joined on crutches, and Granit Xhaka and Le Bris addressed the fans.

Source: Sunderland Echo