OPPO: Reading
VENUE: Stadium of Light
RESULT: 2-0 (Arca 28, Oster 32)
TEAM: Poom, Williams, McCartney, Breen, Arca; Oster, Healy, Thirlwell (Thornton 55), Butler (Smith); Kyle, Stewart (Proctor 86).
SUBS NOT USED: : Ingham, Bjorklund
MAN IN BLACK: Howard Webb
ATTENDANCE: 22,420
MCCARTHY’S COMMENTS
“I think it was a solid win, and we were convincing for most part of the game.
“We did not have too many anxious moments, although Reading are a good side.
“I thought we were the better side early on but Reading came to play 4-5-1 in an attempt to frustrate us and it was bordering on stalemate,” said McCarthy.
“But then Julio picks that shot out of the bag and we’re off and running. I’m not bothered whether it was intentional. All I know is that it was a bit special!
“Julio scored with a great chip at Bradford and now a piledriver here, but even apart from the goals he has been absolutely outstanding this season. He’s defending better than any of us thought possible and he’s a tough little fella as well.
“It was a convincing win for the most part. Reading changed the way they played towards the end – basically with four men up – and it became an open game.
“I’ve given John Oster every opportunity and he’s a very talented footballer who has now added to his game.
“He was not one of the stars, but people enjoy watching him and he took his goal very well.”
“Julio and Breen steal the show”
After a diversion into the realms of fantasy, Sunderland are back on course for the promised land of the Premiership.
Arca continued his glorious transition to leftback with another stunning goal as Sunderland rose to fifth place in Division One.
Although Reading made a fight of it in the second half, the ease with which his defenders repelled the assault might just have pleased McCarthy most of all.
McCarthy’s side stretched Reading down both flanks even before Arca’s stunning opener.
Sunderland’s superiority had been established – and was underlined twice in quick succession with a pair of picturebook goals.
Sunderland were soon back on top, with their passing and movement intuitive and their possession football a joy.
Stewart was seemingly everywhere, Oster and Butler busy out wide and Arca delivered several delicious crosses while remaining resolute in defence.
Breen marshalled the home rearguard with such authority and basic defensive nous.
“Oster off the mark”
Mart Poom was not required to display his goalscoring qualities this week. And, with Reading strictly limited in their attacking ambitions, his ability to stop goals was rarely needed.
…a Sunderland team whose grip on the game never slackened.
Thomas Butler was allowed to surge to the edge of the area before setting up Arca for a shot which, while it dipped and swerved, should not have eluded Hahnemann.
Sunderland regained control of the midfield through Healy, who represents an impressive piece of business by the manager, Mick McCarthy.
“Classy Arca stars in Sunderland stroll”
It is no coincidence that the recent revival in Sunderland’s fortunes coincided with Mick McCarthy’s decision to restore Julio Arca to the first team.
Arca scored Sunderland’s opener and helped create the second, but there were also strong performances from Gary Breen and Colin Healy.
Struck left-footed from a tight angle, Arca’s crisply executed shot arrowed into the top corner.
Tellingly, their second goal originated in Arca territory with a run from Butler down that left wing and another Arca overlap. Marcus Stewart then provided the cross from which John Oster’s header eluded Marcus Hahnemann.
With Breen commanding McCarthy’s defence and Healy dictating midfield, Sunderland remained in charge.
“Arca lifts Sunderland into comfort zone”
Mick McCarthy’s men were into the comfort zone long before the closing stages, thanks, in part, to a flash of South American brilliance from Julio Arca.
Arca has been a revelation since being summoned from the Stadium of Light wilderness and switched from left-winger to left-back. Sunderland have been a relative revelation too.
Arca’s strike and a John Oster header earned them a comfortable win – a fifth victory in seven league games by McCarthy’s transformed team.
Not until the 25th minute did either side show any sign of invention. It materialised in the form of a break from midfield by Colin Healy, but it came to nought, Kevin Kyle being guilty of a woeful miskick.
Thomas Butler cut in from the left on a mazy run and, having found his path blocked, fed the ball back to Arca, whose shot from deep whizzed in between Hahnemann and his near-post.
With Gary Breen returning to bring his assured influence to bear at the heart of defence, Sunderland could enjoy the luxury of taking their foot off the pedal and coasting to victory.
Reading were neat and methodical at times but never matched the drive and direction of Sunderland.
For a while it looked as though Sunderland might have to work a little harder for their rewards, but once the in-form Thomas Butler was given plenty of the ball on the left, Reading were forced back.
With Kyle a towering focal point in attack, Stewart also came alive with passes and knock-downs to feed off.
Two goals in four minutes from Julio Arca and John Oster – his first league goal for the club – gave the Black Cats their sixth win in seven games and sees them climb to fifth in the table.
Sunderland survived some early pressure from the visitors before taking the lead.
Nicky Forster tried his luck from 25 yards but could not find a way past Sunderland keeper Mart Poom, whose every touch was welcomed by the home fans following his goal against Derby last week.
It was Sunderland who looked the likelier to add to the scoring and Stewart went close with a long-range volley
The visitors looked the more comfortable in the early minutes at the Stadium of Light, but Sunderland created the first decent opening.
The breakthrough came on 28 minutes when Butler surged into the penalty area before turning to lay the ball out to arca, and with Hahnemann anticipating a cross he was beaten at his near post.
Sunderland gave themselves a two-goal cushion when Stewart spun away from Scott Murray to cross from the left, and Oster raced to the near post to score with a powerful downward header.
It was Sunderland who continued to look the sharper of the two sides.
Sunderland never looked like throwing away their lead and cruised to the final whistle without ever being seriously under threat.