Neither team with a full squad

Both teams had players out of action. Mirko Slomka was up against the Premier League’s tenth place finishers without star performers Sergio Pinto, Didier Ya Konan and captain Steven Cherundolo who are all nursing injuries. Meanwhile, Sunderland travelled without new signings Wes Brown and John O’Shea, while Steve Bruce also left Asamoah Gyan out of the travelling pack as he continues on his road to recovery.

“Like an away match”

In front of 5,00 supporters in the Weserberglandstadion in Hameln, including fans from England, the Reds started the match in a 4-2-3-1 formation as they prepared for a game that felt “like an away match”, as Mirko Slomka put it. They were reserved going forward and focused on the defensive movement with Mario Eggimann being given a chance at right-back.

Double trouble with “Moa” and “Schlaufi”

It took both teams a while to find their stride in the match with the first half hour going by with little action to speak of. Pogatetz, formerly of Sunderland’s North-East rivals Middlesbrough, was the first player to go close, but his header flew just wide of the target on the half hour mark. Moments later and Reds had landed a double blow before half time. Schmiedebach found the dangerous “Moa” Abdellaoue who showed good composure, rounding keeper Mignolet before sliding the ball into an empty net (36’). Just two minutes later and the Reds did what they do best, bringing the ball out from the back with lightning speed as Stoppelkamp and Rausch combined to find Schlaudraff who put the ball beyond the Belgian keeper for 2-0.

Schlaudraff with his 16^th goal of the 2011/12 pre-season

Sunderland came out for the second half determined to set the record straight and within 10 minutes of the re-start had pulled a goal back. Stéphane Sessègnon latched onto a misplaced Haggui pass before slamming an unstoppable shot past the helpless Markus Miller. Mignolet was then called into action by a free-kick struck by new signing Pander, who had replaced Rausch on the left. At the other end a new signing for Sunderland, Sebastian Larsson, was trying to do his bit, but his free-kick went wide of the left post. Then with time winding down Pander supplied an inch perfect pass to youngster Erdal Akardi who took his chance with his first time effort to secure the victory and his second goal of the pre-season.

JT

Hannover 96: Zieler (46’ Miller) - Eggimann (63’ Chahed), Haggui (78’ Avevor), Pogatetz (78’ Akdari), Schulz - Schmiedebach (89’ Pläschke), Hauger (63’ Lala), Stoppelkamp (63’ Stindl), Rausch (63’ Pander) - Schlaudraff, Abdellaoue (74’ Aycicek)

Sunderland AFC: Mignolet - Bardsley (65’ Larsson), Richardson, Ferdinand, Laing - Colback, Elmohamady, Gardner (65’ Cattermole), Ji-Dong - Sessegnon, Vaughan

Goals: 1:0 Abdellaoue (36’), 2:0 Schlaudraff (38’), 2:1 Sessegnon (53’), 3:1 Akdari (84’)

Attendance: 5.000

Photos: deisterpics