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“This is unacceptable”- Omer Riza SLAMS Sunderland defeat, providing reason why Cardiff Deserved more
Sunderland secured a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, but manager Omer Riza felt the result didn’t truly reflect the flow of the game.
After a recent dip in form, the Black Cats seem to be back on track. The win keeps them in the hunt for a playoff spot and ensures they maintain their distance from the chasing pack.
Eliezer Mayenda was once again the star of the show, putting Sunderland ahead in the first two minutes, but Cardiff managed to equalize just before halftime.
However, a well-executed set-piece led to Chris Mepham scoring his first goal for Sunderland, securing the three points for the hosts.
Omer Riza Displeased with the Manner of Cardiff’s Defeat
Despite concerns before the match that Cardiff might sneak a win, the result largely followed expectations, with Sunderland—sitting in fourth—facing relegation-threatened Cardiff.
However, speaking after the match (via Cardiff City’s official website), Bluebirds boss Omer Riza expressed his belief that his team deserved more from the game.
He said: “You come to places like this, and given the current league situation and their form, you’d be happy with a point.
We should have come away with one, but it was another lapse in concentration with the free-kick. It was a simple ball between the lines, across the box, and we were punished for it.
We had a chance to go 2-1 up, and if we’d left with a point, I think we would’ve deserved it.
“Ultimately, conceding in the manner we did is frustrating, especially after all the hard work we put in.
We’ve always said when you come to places like this, you have to stay fully focused for 95 minutes. For the most part, we did, but that one lapse cost us.”
Stats Paint a Different Picture: Sunderland’s Dominance
While Cardiff certainly had some chances and did apply pressure at times, it was Sunderland who were always in control of the game. The statistics back this up.
Sunderland enjoyed 58% of possession and registered an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.45, significantly higher than Cardiff’s 0.5.
Both teams had two big chances, but Sunderland created far more opportunities, with 19 shots to Cardiff’s six.
The problem for the Black Cats was their accuracy, as only four of their shots were on target—a stat they’ll need to improve if they want to close out games more comfortably.
Thankfully, Mayenda’s performance was key, and despite the pressure, Sunderland held on for the win. Was it easy? Not at all. But did they deserve the three points? Absolutely.
