Lynden Gooch says Sunderland will have to be ruthless in the Championship this season to avoid the fate that befell them in their friendly against Roma. The Black Cats carved out a chance for Leon Dajaku to give them the lead shortly after half-time but the German, who was operating as a central striker with Ross Stewart missing through injury, was thwarted by the keeper.
Roma went on to win 2-0 at the Estadio Municipal de Albufeira on the final day of their pre-season training camp in Portugal, before jetting home last night. And Gooch says it is a lesson Sunderland must heed as they prepare to return to the second tier, because chances will not be so plentiful as they have been in recent seasons in League One.
"Roma won a European competition only about six weeks ago, so we know they are a top team with top class players," said Gooch. "It was good to test ourselves against them and I felt we played some good stuff for three-quarters of the game.
