Match Report: Sunderland 0 Chelsea 0

SUNDERLAND’S fine recent record against Chelsea continued as they held the Premier League leaders to a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats were defensively superb as they became the first team to stop Chelsea scoring in any competition this season.

With Lee Cattermole and Seb Larsson running themselves into the ground at the heart of midfield, and Santiago Vergini and Anthony Reveillere excelling in their full-back roles, Chelsea were restricted to a handful of chances.

Willian hit the post in the first half, but Sunderland struck the woodwork themselves via Vergini and while they might have started slowly, Gus Poyet’s side were arguably the most threatening after the break.

The draw extends Sunderland’s unbeaten run to four games, and means the Black Cats go up a place to 13th position in the table.

Poyet made one change to the side that drew with Leicester last weekend, with Jack Rodwell replacing Jordi Gomez at the heart of midfield.

Rodwell’s recall was clearly an attempt to add some ballast and competitiveness to the heart of midfield, and the general pattern of the game was established in the early stages with Chelsea dominating possession while Sunderland pulled nine of their outfield players back towards the edge of their own 18-yard box.

The plan demanded high levels of organisation, discipline and work rate, and its effectiveness was underlined by Chelsea’s failure to seriously test Costel Pantilimon before the break.

The Sunderland goalkeeper, who commanded his area superbly throughout, only really had one first-half save to make, keeping out Branislav Ivanovic’s 31st-minute shot with his legs.

Chelsea came closest to opening the scoring in the 17th minute, but while Willian’s fizzing 25-yard shot beat Pantilimon’s right hand, it rebounded off the base of the left-hand upright.

Aside from those two chances, most of Chelsea’s play revolved around a series of probing passes into the area in an attempt to release Diego Costa. John O’Shea had to produce one superb sliding challenge to deny the Spanish striker, but on the whole, Sunderland’s defensive midfield wall held firm relatively easily.

The home side’s own attacking was non-existent for the first 15 minutes, but they gradually grew into the game and, with Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham holding the ball up well despite having to feed off scraps, half-chances started to emerge.

Rodwell drilled a 30-yard drive straight at Thibault Courtois, before Sunderland fashioned a genuinely dangerous opening 11 minutes before the break.

Cattermole, who was excellent in a defensive capacity, drilled a deflected shot into the area, enabling Vergini to hook in a first-time effort that clipped the top of the crossbar.

There was always a feisty feel to proceedings, and tempers boiled over on the touchline after Kevin Friend failed to award three potential free-kicks to Sunderland, resulting in Black Cats assistant Mauricio Taricco being sent to the stands.

On the field, Friend could easily have issued a red card to Costa at the end of the first half. The striker kicked out after O’Shea fouled him close to the touchline, and while he failed to make any significant connection with his opponent, other officials might have regarded the intent as sufficient for a straight sending off.

Costa was eventually booked ten minutes into the second half, having caught Wes Brown in the face with a trailing arm. The crowd were baying for a red card, but replays showed Costa’s trailing arm connecting with Brown rather than an elbow. However, had Costa been shown any kind of a card for his first-half indiscretion, he would have been off.

Sunderland’s second-half defending was every bit as impressive as their first, and Chelsea continued to toil in front of two massed ranks of home players.

Gary Cahill headed straight at Pantilimon from a corner, but that proved a rare moment of action for Sunderland’s Romanian keeper.

Indeed, with Jozy Altidore and Jordi Gomez coming on to bolster the Black Cats’ attacking threat, the game was much more even in terms of possession and territory after the break and Sunderland almost claimed an unlikely lead with 18 minutes left.

Connor Wickham played a slick one-two with Gomez, and his fierce shot on the turn was well saved by Courtois.

Jose Mourinho introduced Loic Remy and Didier Drogba in an attempt to spark his side back into life with 14 minutes left, but while the latter forced Pantilimon into a routine save, their appearance did little to change things.

Altidore was crowded out as he threatened to get a shot away with eight minutes left, and moments later, Adam Johnson wasted Sunderland’s best chance of the game.

Altidore’s blocked shot fell invitingly into his path, but he dragged his shot wide of the target despite being extremely well placed 12 yards out.

Johnson then went agonisingly close again 60 seconds later, driving at the heart of the Chelsea defence and drilling a low drive just past the right-hand post.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Reveillere; Cattermole; Johnson, Larsson, Rodwell (Gomez 62), Wickham; Fletcher (Altidore 62).

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Coates, Bridcutt, Buckley, Alvarez.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Willian (Schurrle 85), Oscar (Drogba 76), Hazard; Costa (Remy 76).

Subs (not used): Cech (gk), Luis, Zouma, Mikel.