Whites too good for the Black Cats.
Sky Bet Championship
Sunderland 0 Leeds United 2 (Saiz 21, Dallas 76)
Leeds United kept up their unbeaten start to the season with a fantastic 2-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Whites made two changes from Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Fulham, with Liam Cooper fit to return and Caleb Ekuban replacing Chris Wood in attack.
Sunderland created the first opportunity of the match inside five minutes, Brendan Galloway played a neat ball right across the face of the Leeds goal and Lewis Grabban was inches from getting on the end of it.
A blocked Vurnon Anita clearance led to another chance for the home side, but Pontus Jansson made a fine block, to stop James Vaughan’s goal-ward effort.
Leeds continued to get into the match after the opening stages, Ezgjan Alioski did well on the flank and Ekuban found room in the Sunderland area, but he was unable to get his shot away.
The Whites then went close from a free-kick when Alioski was felled, Kalvin Phillips struck the set-piece from 30 yards, but he was denied by Jason Steele.
Some fine defending from the returning Cooper prevented Sunderland from taking the lead, Vaughan played Grabban into the box, who cut inside before firing at goal, but the Leeds defender headed the ball on to the crossbar and away to safety on the line.
Two minutes after Grabban’s chance, Leeds took the lead, Alioski played Samuel Saiz into space in the Sunderland box and the Spaniard superbly found the bottom left corner, netting his first league goal for the club.
Leeds had another big chance soon after, Saiz did really well to get to the byline and he crossed for Pablo Hernandez, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.
Alioski then went through on goal, he drove forward, but could only drag his shot from the edge of the box wide.
Lee Cattermole then looked to equalise for the home team, he struck on goal from distance, forcing Wiedwald into a good save.
Half Time: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds United
After the break, Saiz played Kemar Roofe through on goal, forcing Steele into a good save, but it wouldn’t have counted with the offside flag up.
Sunderland made a double change looking for an equaliser, with Adam Matthews and Wahabi Khazri coming on, with the home side piling on the pressure.
Ekuban did really well to send Roofe down the wing, he looked to play a one two with the winger, and wasn’t far from getting on the end of the return, however he picked up an injury in the play and had to be replaced by Stuart Dallas.
Lamine Kone was then penalised for handball, giving Leeds a free-kick and an opportunity to strike on goal, Alioski again tested Steele who made another good stop.
Alioski then picked up the ball in the Sunderland box, he cut inside, before firing on goal, but once again Steele came out on top.
Leeds doubled the lead, 14 minutes from time, once again the influential Saiz got to the byline, before crossing and Dallas at the back post headed home.
Sunderland almost pulled a consolation goal back in the final minute, Aiden McGeady played the ball across the face of goal, but Billy Jones could only fire wide.
The result means Leeds have now kept three clean sheets in a row in the Sky Bet Championship and move up to fifth place in the table.
Full Time: Sunderland 0-2 Leeds United
Sunderland: Steele, Jones, Cattermole (Asoro 74), Vaughan (Khazri 55), Grabban, Galloway (Matthews 55), Ndong, Browning, McGeady, Kone, Honeyman. Subs not used: O’Shea, Gibson, Ruiter, Gooch.
Leeds: Wiedwald, Anita, Cooper, Jansson, Ayling, Phillips, O’Kane, Saiz (Klich 81), Hernandez (Roofe 25), Alioski, Ekuban (Dallas 62). Subs not used: Green, Borthwick-Jackson, Vieira, Shaughnessy.
Referee: A. Davies
Booked: Galloway, Kone, Ndong (Sunderland), Wiedwald (Leeds)
Venue: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 31,237