FULL-TIME, and Tottenham take the win thanks to a superb second-half turnaround. The away side scored twice in three minutes at the start of the second half thanks to a Carlos Cuellar own goal and a sumptuous finish from Aaron Lennon and help maintain their position in the race for Champions League qualification. Sunderland started both halves brightly but could not maintain that high tempo, although the performances of Stephane Sessegnon and Adam Johnson will give them heart. However, it’s Spurs who take the three points as their good run in the Premier League continues.
90' +2
We're into five minutes of stoppage time at the end of this game.
90'
G. Sigurðsson enters the game and replaces G. Bale.
Gareth Bale is booed off by the Sunderland fans as he is replaced by Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Welshman picked up his fifth yellow of the season so misses the game against Reading, with all his bookings due to simulation.
87'
Chance! That could have been an equaliser for Sunderland as Johnson's cross is just inches away from Connor Wickham.
84'
That's a very dramatic fall from Sandro, who forces a free kick after a tap from Sessegnon. Spurs are starting to wind the clock down now.
83'
S. Parker enters the game and replaces A. Lennon.
81'
G. Bale gets yellow.
Gareth Bale goes down in the penalty area saying he was challenged unfairly by Craig Gardner. However, the referee disagrees and books the Welshman for diving, meaning he is suspended for the next game.
80'
C. Wickham enters the game and replaces S. Larsson.
79'
M. Dembélé gets yellow.
That's a really good free kick from Johnson, but Adebayor of all people is there to head clear.
77'
Great ball in from Lennon, and there is substitute Titus Bramble to slide the ball away from danger for a corner.
Minute
Description
75'
C. Dempsey enters the game and replaces J. Defoe.
Whoopsie. Bale then swashbuckles forward again but runs the ball out of play.
74'
Bale comes flying forward once again, but Sunderland's defenders manage to prevent his ball in from making any real impact.
72'
Daft there from Dawson, who shoves Sessegnon having just been booked to gift the home side another free kick.
70'
Good free kick there from Larsson but an even better punch from Lloris, who makes sure that there is no chance of a Black Cat getting his head on that one.
69'
M. Dawson gets yellow.
Sessegnon goes inside Dawson but the Spurs captain brings him down slightly cynically and picks up a yellow for his troubles.
68'
T. Bramble enters the game and replaces J. O'Shea.
67'
Johnson tries hard to get onto a long ball from Larsson, but Walker is up to the challenge and shepherds the ball out.
65'
Bale is really starting to dominate proceedings here, although he nearly picks up a booking for a clumsy foul.
62'
F. Campbell enters the game and replaces M. Kilgallon.
Oh dear. Sessegnon tries a shot despite being off-balance and under pressure from Caulker and it goes well wide.
60'
What a block! Bale does brilliantly on the left and plays in Defoe, whose shot from inside the box is clawed away brilliantly right on the line by Mignolet.
59'
Lennon has really got some pace to burn, but McClean is up to the task and manages to wrestle the ball away.
56'
Spurs then take the sting out of this game by keeping the ball and winning themselves another corner.
54'
Not a bad hit there from Johnson, who forces Lloris into a low save. This game has got very stretched all of a sudden.
51'
A. Lennon has scored a goal for Tottenham Hotspur!
GOAL!!! Tottenham are 2-1 up! Aaron Lennon takes advantage of a ricochet off Kilgallon and then dinks the ball past Mignolet to give Spurs the lead. What a turnaround.
48'
Carlos Cuéllar is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
GOAL!!! Tottenham are level! A corner is swung in, and Cuellar heads the ball into his own net from the near post. Just the start Spurs wanted.
47'
Carlos Cuéllar gets yellow.
Sunderland have started very brightly already in this half, with Sessegnon crucial again.
Cuellar is then booked for blocking off a Spurs player as he tries to prevent them coming forward.
46'
We're back already for the second half, which is kicked off by Sunderland.
45' +2
HALF-TIME, and Sunderland lead 1-0 having been very much second best in the first half. The Black Cats took the lead through John O’Shea and have had very little else to shout about, other than the trickery of Stephane Sessegnon. Tottenham will consider themselves very unfortunate to be behind having enjoyed more possession and chances, but their inability to convert those have been their downfall. Andre Villas-Boas will have to work his magic at half-time, otherwise the Londonders’ inability to win in the North East during December will continue.
45'
There'll be two minutes added on in the first half.
43'
Spurs kept three consecutive clean sheets before this game and look stunned to be behind after largely dominating this half.
40'
J. O'Shea has scored a goal for Sunderland!
GOAL!!! It's 1-0 Sunderland!!! A Sebastian Larsson free kick causes havoc in the Spurs area, and John O'Shea is there to stab home and give his side the lead! That was very much against the run of play.
38'
Decent chance there for the home side, as Cuellar flicks a header just over the bar from a Johnson free kick.
36'
Naughton robs a Sunderland defender of the ball close to the home side's area, but he can't quite find a cross under pressure from John O'Shea.
34'
Then Kyle Walker decides to take a wild shot from about 30 yards out that goes very high and very wide. Such a waste from the Spurs right-back.
33'
Bale has started to really come into this game, as Sunderland's defenders struggle to cope with him on the left and Lennon on the right.
30'
CHANCE! That was a superb chance for Adebayor, who gets on the end of a ball from Jermain Defoe but can only put his tapped shot onto the crossbar having expected Cuellar to clear beforehand.
29'
Great chance there for Bale, who gets on the end of a hanging cross from Lennon but sends it wide of the goal. Probably the best chance of the half so far.
27'
Spurs have started to exert some pressure and force some corners. Mignolet gets half a punch on this latest one, but it's not the most convincing clearance in the world.
25'
Adebayor is played through by Lennon, but he's denied a goal by Mignolet's right boot as he tries to place a shot past the Black Cats goalkeeper.
24'
Danger for Sunderland, as Lennon gets behind Kilgallon and hammers in a cross that is deflected away for a corner by Cuellar.
23'
Sessegnon has been a real problem for Spurs, as he does brilliantly to dig out a cross under pressure from Naughton that Lloris is able to gather.
22'
Carlos Cueller was struggling after that Spurs attack, but is on his feet now and will be fine to continue.
20'
Good shot there from Sandro, who hits it hard after a ricochet takes the ball into his path. Despite a deflection, it's parried away by Mignolet.
18'
That got a bit close, as after Adam Johnson slides in to cut a James McClean cross back in the danger zone, Dawson is there to hack clear again. That could have been a real problem for Spurs.
15'
Aaron Lennon gets in behind for the first time in this game thanks to a great pass. However, his cut-back is just about dealt with by Matthew Kilgallon.
14'
Great ball there from Sessegnon, who tries to find Fletcher at the back post with a delicious cross but is prevented from doing so by a good catch from Lloris.
11'
Tottenham haven't quite got going, to the credit of the home side who are playing a high tempo and keeping very tight on any player in possession.
8'
A long ball is pumped forward to Sessegnon, probing in behind the Spurs defenders, but Michael Dawson is there to hammer it clear.
6'
Nice try from Stephane Sessegnon, who plays a long ball trying to find Adam Johnson on the right, but it's just too heavy for the winger.
5'
Sunderland get a free kick that Craig Gardner sends in low, but it's an easy one for Hugo Lloris to gather.
4'
Half-chance there for Adebayor, who slides a shot in from just outside the box that's saved well by Simon Mignolet.
3'
Sunderland are also keen to express themselves early, with Steven Fletcher adamant he was blocked off by Steven Caulker when trying to make a run forward.
2'
Nearly a good pass there from Kyle Naughton through to Emmanuel Adebayor, but it's cut out by a home defender.
1'
Here we go! Tottenham get the first half going.
Good afternoon, and welcome to Goal.com’s LIVE! text commentary of this Premier League game between Sunderland and Tottenham. My name is Chris Teale, and it’s my pleasure to be taking you through this one.
Sunderland had been in some relegation problems earlier this season, with their lack of goals preventing them from picking up many wins. However, with two wins in their last two games over Southampton and Manchester City, the Black Cats have made significant strides away from the danger zone. That win over the champions came on Boxing Day, with Sunderland hoping that can help kick-start their run of fixtures in this holiday period.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are one of three teams on 33 points but are in fourth place due to their superior goal difference over Everton and surprise package West Brom. Spurs have been riding the wave of Gareth Bale’s good form coupled with Jermain Defoe’s goals, with the pair of them having already hit double figures in all competitions.
Now, how are those teams looking? First, here’s Sunderland: Mignolet; Gardner, O'Shea Cuellar, Kilgallon; Larsson, Colback, Johnson, McClean, Sessegnon, Fletcher. Subs: Campbell, Wickham, McFadden, Vaughan, Dong-won, Bramble, Westwood.
The home side make one change, with the ineligible Spurs loanee Danny Rose unable to face his parent club and replaced by John O’Shea. Spurs make two switches, with William Gallas and Jan Vertonghen replaced by Michael Dawson and Steven Caulker.
Not long until kick off, with both teams making their way onto the pitch at the Stadium of Light.
Thank you for following this LIVE! text commentary on Tottenham’s 2-1 win away to Sunderland. Stick with Goal.com for all the reaction from this game and the action from the rest of a packed afternoon of football. This is where we part, dear friends, so I’ve been Chris Teale and I really appreciate you joining me this afternoon.
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