Sunderland U23 1-3 Stoke City U23

Sunderland under-23s have advanced to the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup as group A runners-up after losing to Stoke City this evening.

The Potters struck twice in the opening 45, through Jake Dunwoody and Gabriel Kyeremateng, before Benji Kimpioka crashed home a second-half free-kick to set-up a grandstand finish at Eppleton CW.

Unfortunately, the closing stages turned out a little different to what the Black Cats had hoped as Lee Connelly was dismissed after a melee broke out and then Thibaud Verlinen turned home a third to seal to win for Stoke.

Sunderland under-23s entertained Stoke City at Eppleton Colliery Welfare this evening with the small matter of deciding who advanced as group A winners. With both sides already progressing through to the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup, there was just one thing left to be decided on a mild evening in County Durham.

Stoke quickly got to grips with the tie, looking to leapfrog the Black Cats – who went into the match knowing all they needed was a point to finish at the summit – and they gained full control with just 15 minutes played.

Tre Pemberton advanced down the right and found Dunwoody on the edge of the box, he then took a touch before sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner and beyond the helpless Max Strjyek in goal.

The Pole then escaped a second shortly after as a he went to collect a corner but got nowhere near it. The ball dropped to the floor and was knocked goalwards but a goalline clearance saved him and the score remained just 1-0.

However, the Potters doubled their advantage after the half-hour mark. Verlinen picked out Kyeremateng on from the right and the towering centre forward turned home a near-post volley from close range.

Sunderland were quick to try and issue a response in the second 45 as Dan Neil – in the middle alongside Bali Mumba and trialist Ruben Summat – was swift in possession and did well to spot the run of Connelly in behind.

The Scottish striker, who has been free-scoring of late, pounced on the loose ball but was denied by the on rushing Nathan Broome.

The Potters’ stopper then came to Stoke’s rescue as he turned away Jack Diamond’s sweetly-struck free-kick from the edge of the box after Kimpioka was fouled.

However, Broome was powerless to preventing Kimpioka’s free-kick in a similar position moments later. This time, Diamond stepped over the ball and the Swedish youth international waltzed onto it before bending it into the top corner.

It was a goal that gave the Black Cats the momentum to go on and get an equaliser, but that was halted when a melee broke out in the middle and Connelly was dismissed before Verlinen capitalised on the man advantage to slot home a late third.

Sunderland U23: Stryjek, Hunter, Evans, Sammut, Bainbridge, Young (Taylor, 45), Connelly, Neil, Kimpioka, Mumba (Kokolo, 62), Diamond

Subs: Storey, Johnstone, Connolly

Stoke City U23: Broome, Wara, Niakate, Sorensen, Collins, McJannet (Forrester, 84), Pemberton, Dunwoody, Kyeremateng (Varian, 76), Jarvis, Verlinen

Subs: Forrester, Gyollai, Twyford, Macari