Sunderland fell at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup, with the Black Cats dumped out of the competition by League One Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Alex Neil made a full slate of 11 changes for the cup competition but that was no excuse, with Wednesday boss Darren Moore also electing to make eight changes.
Instead, last season's quarter-finalists were second-best throughout and could have no complaints at the result. Dennis Adeniran fired the Owls in front with a stunning 25-yard strike on the quarter-hour, with substitute Sylla Sow taking advantage of some slack defending to add the second ten minutes into the second half.
Neil had said beforehand that he would use the game as an opportunity to give players who had yet to have a chance this season and he was as good as his word. Carl Winchester, Jay Matete and Jack Diamond - who have not made the matchday squads for the first two league games - were included, as were players such as Patrick Roberts, Bailey Wright, Trai Hume, Aji Alese, and Luke O'Nien, who have been on the bench so far.
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Neil also gave debut to summer signing Alex Bass, who replaced Anthony Patterson in goal. Young midfielder Harrison Sohna also came into the starting XI for the first time this season, while Elliot Embleton began the game after being involved only as a sub at Bristol.
Sunderland were well below-par for the majority of the first half, with Wednesday taking charge right from the off. There was an early warning when the lively Adeniran got into the penalty area down the left, but Bass was able to grab his attempted cross at the second attempt.
But there was nothing the former Portsmouth keeper could do on 16 minutes when Adeniran put the Owls in front. Liam Palmer's cross from the right was headed out only as far as Adeniran 25 yards from goal and he was able to turn inside Roberts before thumping an unstoppable shot beyond Bass and into the top left-hand corner.
Wednesday had chances to extend their lead, with Lee Gregory seeing a shot blocked at close range following a well-worked corner, and when the ball came back out to Reece James his cross was headed wide by the unmarked Ben Heneghan at the far post, when the defender should have at least tested the keeper. Sunderland took until midway through the first period to mount a meaningful attack, but Diamond dragged his effort wide of the far post from inside the box on the right.
Wednesday continued to attack and on the half-hour it needed first a good challenge from Winchester inside the box to halt their progress, and then when the loose ball was picked up by Jaden Brown, Hume made a crucial block. Sunderland improved towards the end of the first half, but without managing to test home keeper Cameron Dawson.
Soon after half-time, a dangerous low cross from Hume was a fraction too far in front of Diamond at the near post. But Wednesday doubled their lead on 56 minutes, with Sunderland punished for slack defending.
The Black Cats tried to play the ball out from the back but the Owls put them under pressure, forcing Bass into a poor pass looking for Alese which was intercepted by Adeniran on the right flank and he got past his man before crossing for the unmarked Sow to sidefoot home from six yards out. With a two-goal cushion, Wednesday were in full control and Sunderland never looked like pulling a goal back, let alone getting back on terms.
How they lined up
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Iorfa, Heneghan (Ihiekwe 46), James (Johnson 81), Palmer, Byers, Bakinson, Adeniran (A Hunt 81), Brown, Gregory (Sow 44), Paterson (Cook 72). Subs not used: Stockdale, Bannan, Dele-Bashiru, Vaulks
Booked: Bakinson
Sunderland: Bass, Winchester, Wright, Alese, Hume, Matete, O'Nien, Sohna, Roberts (Kelly 84), Embleton (Spellman 80), Diamond. Subs not used: Patterson, Cirkin, Batth, Simms, Gooch, Clarke, Neil
Booked: Winchester
Referee: Tom Reeves (Birmingham)
Attendance: 8,412
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