Brentford 1-1 Sunderland: result and report

Report

Brentford led with eight minutes left but had to settle for a draw. On the chances, Sunderland deserved their point.

How the game moved

The match stayed goalless until Vitaly Janelt put Brentford ahead on 57 minutes. Brentford could not hold on, though. On 82 minutes Enzo Le Fée scored a penalty to make it 1-1, and that late equaliser decided the shape of the result.

Sunderland's chances

The scoreline was level, but the chances were not. Sunderland finished with 2.40 xG to Brentford's 1.37, even though each side took eight shots. Sunderland also had five shots on target to Brentford's two and hit the woodwork once, so their equaliser was more than a late stroke of luck.

The big-chance count was level at three each, with both clubs missing two of them. Sunderland's edge therefore came from the better quality of their other shots rather than a pile of clear-cut openings. Le Fée was named player of the match, which fits a game Sunderland finished stronger in.

Brentford's share of the game

There is still a case that Brentford had their spells. They made more dangerous attacks, 52 to 44, and kept up the higher average pressure across the match. Very little of that territory turned into work for the goalkeeper, because Brentford managed only two shots on target all afternoon. Sunderland's peak pressure was also the higher of the two. That suggests their best spells were sharper than anything Brentford put together, even if those spells were less frequent.