Substitute Elliot Embleton scored an 89th-minute winner to give Sunderland a vital victory at rival play-off chasers Oxford in front of a sell-out Kassam Stadium.
Embleton struck just three minutes after coming on in the League One contest, firing home when Ross Stewart played the ball square to him with the home defence stretched.
Victory stretched Sunderland’s unbeaten run to seven matches, while Oxford’s play-off hopes appear in tatters after three successive defeats.
Both skippers scored during the first half.
Black Cats captain Corry Evans pounced in the 16th minute when the home defence failed to clear a free-kick, prodding home a shot from 14 yards before centre-half Elliott Moore headed in Billy Bodin’s free-kick to equalise for Oxford in the 35th minute.
Both sides had early chances with visiting goalkeeper Anthony Patterson turning over Mark Sykes’ shot and Nathan Broadhead seeing an effort blocked on the line by Luke McNally at the other end.
Patterson later produced a super save to keep out Ciaron Brown’s powerful far-post header.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Oxford Utd
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Stevens
- 2LongSubstituted forWinnallat 90+1′minutes
- 16McNally
- 5Moore
- 4Brown
- 23Bodin
- 26Kane
- 8Brannagan
- 10Sykes
- 9Taylor
- 27HollandSubstituted forWhyteat 62′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Eastwood
- 7Williams
- 11Winnall
- 14Forde
- 18McGuane
- 21Whyte
- 42Seddon
Sunderland
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 20Patterson
- 15Winchester
- 26Wright
- 17CirkinBooked at 81mins
- 11Gooch
- 27MateteBooked at 73mins
- 4Evans
- 25ClarkeSubstituted forEmbletonat 85′minutes
- 9BroadheadSubstituted forBatthat 79′minutes
- 77RobertsSubstituted forO’Nienat 45′minutes
- 14Stewart
Substitutes
- 5Batth
- 6Doyle
- 8Embleton
- 13O’Nien
- 24Neil
- 32Hume
- 39Hoffmann
- Referee:
- Ben Toner
- Attendance:
- 11,690
Live Text
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Match ends, Oxford United 1, Sunderland 2.
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Second Half ends, Oxford United 1, Sunderland 2.
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Attempt saved. Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Billy Bodin (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mark Sykes.
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Attempt missed. Billy Bodin (Oxford United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Gavin Whyte.
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Substitution, Oxford United. Sam Winnall replaces Sam Long.
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Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Elliott Moore.
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Attempt saved. Ross Stewart (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Goal! Oxford United 1, Sunderland 2. Elliot Embleton (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ross Stewart.
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Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Sam Long.
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Luke O’Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United).
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Substitution, Sunderland. Elliot Embleton replaces Jack Clarke.
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Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Carl Winchester.
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Attempt blocked. Billy Bodin (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Sam Long (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jack Clarke (Sunderland).
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Attempt saved. Gavin Whyte (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Billy Bodin.
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Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Dennis Cirkin.
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Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
