Very few Fulham fans in attendance. Butler wins the ball but plays poor ball forward. Flo wins the ball gets to the edge of the area but ball goes out for goal kick.
Sunderland Sorensen , Gray , Wright , Bjorklund , Babb , Butler , McAteer , Reyna , Piper , Stewart , Flo Subs: Bellion , Quinn , Macho , McCann , Williams Fulham van der Sar , Brevett , Ouaddou , Goma , Knight , Goldbaek , Inamoto , Davis , Legwinski , Marlet , Hayles Subs: Taylor , Melville , Sava , Collins , Stolcers
Inamoto has scored 5 goals in the last 6 games for Fulham. Piper runs forward - and bad foul - Fulham player gets yellow.
Reyna takes the free - but comes to nothing. Gray knocks the ball out for a throw. Wright wins throw in. Reyna tackled by Inamoto in the center circle. Fulham launch long ball -- goes out for goal kick. Announcers like the matchup Matt Piper has -- especially since defender has a yellow now. Piper fouled again.
Announcers: "Fulham play the ball on the deck" -- they don't launch a lot of long balls. Good cross whipped in by Butler is cleared after exciting buildup. Reyna with a back pass.
Reyna plays the ball forward but off target. Butler wins the ball for Sunderland. No team able to maintain much possession thus far. Ball changes hands every 25 seconds or so. "In situations like this I like to see CR get involved. He's the best passer," etc.
Announcers contrasting Quinn and Flo - who likes the ball on the deck more (as Bigsoccer poster already pointed out this week). Fulham in possession - wide to the right - ball cleared downfield by Gray. Flo to Stewart - cleared. Inamoto on the ball -- long pass is off the mark. Ball forward - to Stewart - to Piper - to Butler - first corner kick of the game for SAFC. Sunderland delayed a bit too long wasting a dangerous chance. Reyna takes the corner -- comes to nothing.
Reyna takes a quick free - goes wide to Piper who tries to cross deflects out - throw in by Wright - ball bounces around in the penalty area - cleared. Martha Stewart - I mean Marcus wins throw in. Stewart takes an effort goes out for a corner. Stewart with a nice chance a little unlikely to be deflected. Reyna takes the corner - cleared. Gray sends it back in - Piper sends it to the near post and it's knocked out for another corner. Sunderland putting on some good pressure. Reyna to Mcateer - cleared. Gray wins it - to Mcateer - Babb - Butler, who wins a free kick.
Fulham defend the free kick and then counter -- comes to nothing. No one has scored less than Sunderland thus far. Sunderland attacking again. Offsides on Flo and Stewart. Nearing 20 minute mark. Reyna threads pass through to McAteer draws some excitement from the crowd. Fulham continue to be on their heels. Gray gets the "yeller" for diving. Sunderland had some dangerous play near the Fulham goal but ends with the dive call.
Reyna on the ball -- to Bjorklund who sends a long ball forward. 23 minutes gone - not very attractive display of football thus far.
Sunderland have had the most possession so far, but last third of the pitch have been lacking something. Ball chipped in to Flo -- off target. Stewart fancied a shot but missed the target.
pething: Can you post a link for the page that that link is on? I'm listening to the game and that's cool, but I can't quite figure out how I would listen next week if you don't so kindly post the link. Thanks EDIT: did the legwork for everybody: http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/foot/audio/live/schedule/index.html EDIT2: well that didn't quite do it as I expected ... pething?
Fulham have a free kick in a dangerous position. 5 man Sunderland wall. Goes out for a corner kick. Sorensen half clears the ball -- hard shot comes in but Sorensen makes the save. First real shot of the game -- a little too close for comfort. Reyna loses the ball - no one warned him that someone was coming from behind. 28 minutes gone - "no atmosphere" "Ghostly" in the Stadium of Light. Gray sprints in to the Fulham half -- GREAT SAVE by Van der Saar. Piper got up very well to head the ball in -- but well saved.
Fantastic pass by Claudio to split the defense but goal saving tackle by the defense. "Great, great ball by Reyna"