Sunderland 3-1 Fulham

Sunderland picked up their second win
of the season with a 3-1 win over 10-
man Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Martin O'Neill's side made their
numerical advantage count in the
second half after Fulham defender
Brede Hangeland was sent off in the
first half.
Steven Fletcher set Sunderland on their
way with the opener five minutes into
the second half with his sixth league
goal of the campaign.
Although substitute Mladen Petric drew
Fulham level just past the hour mark
further goals from Carlos Cuellar and a
superb effort from Stephane
Sessegnon made the game safe for
Sunderland to ease the pressure on
O'Neill.
After a quiet opening period the game
burst into life just past the half-hour
mark when Hangeland was sent off for
a dangerous tackle on Lee Cattermole.
The Fulham captain appeared to leave
the ground as he went in two-footed
on Cattermole and referee Lee Probert
deemed it a straight red card offence.
The second half began in lively fashion
with Sunderland breaking the deadlock
on 50 minutes just seconds after
Fulham struck the woodwork.
John Arne Riise saw his shot deflect off
Phil Bardsley and onto the crossbar
and the play switched straight to the
other end as Adam Johnson picked out
Fletcher with a brilliant through ball
and the striker superbly controlled the
ball before poking it past Mark
Schwarzer.
Fulham, who lost Alex Kacaniklic to
injury in the first half, suffered another
injury blow on the hour mark when
Bryan Ruiz was forced off with a
hamstring problem to be replaced by
Petric and the substitute had a chance
to score straight away when he got in
behind the Sunderland defence, but
he lifted his shot over the top.
A minute later Johnson was denied a
second goal for Sunderland when he
saw his curling shot from the edge of
the box turned round the post by
Schwarzer at full stretch.
Fulham drew level on 62 minutes
through Petric as he converted Duff's
cross from close-range as the
Sunderland defence appealed in vain
for an offside flag against Duff.
Parity proved short-lived as with
Fulham down to nine men as Petric
received treatment off the field after
injuring himself scoring the equaliser
Cuellar restored Sunderland's lead
three minutes when he rose above
Steve Sidwell to head home Johnson's
corner.
Sunderland gave themselves a two-
goal cushion 20 minutes from time
with a sublime goal from Stephan
Sessegnon as the striker netted his first
goal of the season.
Referee Probert played a good
advantage after Danny Rose was
injured in the build-up and Sessegnon
found space outside the box before
unleashing a stunning shot into the
top corner past a stranded Schwarzer
to send the visiting fans into raptures.
Fulham refused to lie down and
Sunderland were indebted to Simon
Mignolet in the closing stages as he
made two fine saves to keep out
Sidwell and Petric as the home side
threatened a comeback.