Bournemouth’s, and Marco Rose’s, wait for a Premier League win is over. Sunderland, locked in the bottom three, are becoming this season’s object lesson in travelling too far, too fast. Once Kevin Danso was dismissed in the 17th minute for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity, Sunderland were sunk.
If Evanilson was the match-winner with a goal, an assist and as the player Danso fouled, Régis Le Bris’s team were architects of their own downfall. Sixth and seventh last season, both teams have struggled domestically while cruising in the Europa League but Sunderland’s troubles deepened. There was mitigation on offer.
With a tight turnaround from Leiria on Thursday, England’s south coast on Sunday and Poznan in midweek, Wearside resources are stretched. And their European dream comes against uncomfortable domestic realities. Talk of a possible sale continues, a boardroom reshuffle placing Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the youthful majority owner, in charge of day-to-day operations.
On the pitch, Sunderland have not celebrated a league win since August, and lost four in succession. Both teams had made five changes from Thursday, and Bournemouth, who had beaten Sturm Graz at home, were visibly fresher. After Lewis Cook dabbed the ball forward, Evanilson seized on a collective muddle between Danso and Omar Alderete.
The Brazilian’s reputation for unselfishness was deepened by his next choice of action. Instead of shooting, he laid up a diving Marcus Tavernier to head home. Evanilson again escaped beyond a dallying defender exposed by Alderete ducking away from the ball.
Clumsiness served as no defence. Craig Pawson, the referee, could reach no decision other than sending the Austrian for an early sachet of shower gel. Being a goal and a man up represented a challenge to Bournemouth; they had previously conceded nine points from winning positions.
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