Sunderland - 2 (Kyle 42. Stewart 45.)
Crystal Palace - 1 (Powell 90.)
Palace got the game underway, and the first action saw Michael Hughes win the ball and Jason McAteer handled the ball, conceding a free kick. From that kick Danny Granville sent the ball just wide of the upright, but the chance would not have counted, as Andy Johnson was ruled offside. Julian Gray made a good run but Neil Shipperley handled the ball in the area, and the chance went begging. Michael then got clear and played a good cross in to Julian who really should have buried the ball in the back of the net; Mart Poom making a fine save to deny him the chance.
Neil and AJ combined well, and then Aki Riihilahti hit the upright as he headed the ball goalwards from a cross sent in by Danny G. George McCartney made a good run, but his final shot let him down, as he played the ball ineffectively straight to Nico Vaesen in the Palace goal. A corner to Palace was cleared by the Sunderland defence, whilst at the other end Marcus Stewart fired a shot just wide of the post. Sean Thornton fired in a free kick, but Michael was on hand to head the ball over for a corner, which came back from McAteer, Nico making a good stop to deny Sunderland levelling terms in the overall match.
Julian was booked, for a presumed foul on Thornton, and this was to have catastrophic consequences later in the match, and indeed for the final in twelve days time. The free kick was wasted, but a corner was conceded shortly after leading to the unusual sight of Neil defending the set piece, a role he seems to play more often of late, and very well he does at it too. Thornton then sent in a shot that sailed over the bar, and a period of midfield play then ensued.
AJ was pushed over by Phil Babb, but the referee waved play on, and as John Oster sent in a cross Danny G did well to get a last ditch clearance in, conceding the corner. Danny Butterfield cleared that chance, and shortly after Stewart was caught offside. Wayne Routledge made a good run that ended with a shot from Julian being deflected behind for a corner that Michael played in and Oster cleared for the defence. Julian tried a cross into the centre that Poom did well to hang on to and moments later Joachim Bjorklund inexplicably gave the ball to Julian who fired his shot just wide of the upright from about 20 yards out.
Danny B then tried a long range shot that whistled just wide of the post, and just as it seemed Palace were in the ascendancy Kevin Kyle popped up to coolly slot the ball under the diving Nico to finally get Sunderland ahead in this match, but more importantly back on level terms for the match aggregate. Two minutes of added on time was signalled, and just as we thought we might be able to get back to the sheds to regroup Stewart headed home a cross that really should have been stopped, and Sunderland were ahead, and looking to press on to the final.
The half time break stopped them, and it was now going to take all of Iain Dowie's powers to pull us back from the brink we now found ourselves in. Both goals had come as Palace were looking the more dominant, but that, surely, happens to all teams, and it is how one reacts that becomes important later in the day.
Sunderland got the second half underway and a cross came in from Oster that Jeff Whitley missed, whilst at the other end Poom took the ball, almost literally, off the head of Neil as he looked set to pull the game back to an even keel. Aki played Julian in, but Gary Breen managed to get to the ball just in time to stop any chance falling the way of the Palace player, and shortly after Aki tried again, this time playing the ball in to AJ, though once again the chance was cleared in the nick of time. Aki then tried a shot himself, his chance just being held by the keeper, and Palace decided to make a change, bringing on Shaun Derry for Aki.
Shaun's first action was to take a corner for Palace, but the keeper claimed to ball, and Palace went all out in attack as they sent Dougie Freedman on to the field in place of Danny B, making the line-up three at the front with just about 30 minutes left to run in the match. Neil fired a shot over the top of the bar, and at the other end Oster got a cross in to Stewart, Danny G just managing to get a touch on the ball to deflect it from the path that led straight on goal.
Palace won another corner that Wayne fired in, though Julian again sent his shot blasting over the top of the bar, and the next corner saw Neil head the ball only just wide of the post. It was starting to appear that Palace was never going to get the ball in the back of the net, and as things stood that would have meant Sunderland progressing to the next round.
Sunderland made their first change as Thornton gave way to Carl Robinson and Palace temporarily went down to 10 men as Danny G went off for treatment to a cut leg. Palace decided it was time to make their final change of the game, bringing on Darren Powell for the injured Danny G, and so we faced the final 18 minutes of the match with the players we now fielded, with no chance for any other changes. Darren's first touch of the ball almost saw him score as he met a corner sent in by Wayne, his header going fractionally over the top of the bar.
Robinson was guilty of fouling Dougie, and a yellow card was awarded for his trouble, but as Michael fired the ball in Poom was on hand to avert the danger for the home side. Michael tried a shot that hit the defence, but as the ball came back to Julian he tried a shot that went just past the upright. McAteer pulled the shirt of Shaun, but unfortunately Shaun retaliated by lashing out at the player, and as the referee called both players over we were all pleased to see just a yellow card for each, as the penalty could have been far worse for Shaun; many a time the referee has awarded a straight red for such offences.
Nico played the ball out to Mikele Leigertwood, but he lost the ball to Whitley, who, free on goal, totally wasted the chance as he shot well wide of the mark. Darren fired a shot just over the top from the edge of the area, and Sunderland made another change, this time bringing on Tommy Smith for Stewart. Disaster then struck as Julian was booked for the second time, and his second yellow card became an automatic red and he was off for an early shower.
Tony was then booked for a foul on Smith, and time was all but up as we all looked to the fourth official who signalled 4 minutes of added on time to be played. Shaun fired the ball into the area, but Poom punched the ball behind, conceding the corner, and as the ball was played in by Shaun it was Darren who rose to head the ball into the back of the net to get us back on level terms. There was a hint of a foul on the keeper by Neil, but nothing was given, and the Palace faithful are not going to argue with such decisions, particularly so late in a game as important as this.
Full time arrived, and since this season the away goal rule had been abandoned the score simply read, in aggregate, 4-4, and extra time of thirty minutes was due to be played. Of course, Palace needed to get through that time with only 10 men on the pitch, so this was certainly going to be a test of the players' fitness, a matter that Iain Dowie has been lauding a lot about lately.
Palace got the first period of extra time underway and it was Wayne who pressed towards goal, forcing Bjorklund to make a mess of the clearance, the ball falling neatly for Mikele, who sent in a shot that Poom did well to get back to and tip over the top of the bar. The corner was again wasted, and shortly after Sunderland won a corner, the attempt being eventually cleared by Darren before another cross from Oster was well held by Nico.
Michael was booked for a foul on McAteer, and shortly after AJ saw his shot deflected behind for yet another corner, this time the chance being easily claimed by the keeper. A free kick to Sunderland was sent way over the top by Oster, and before we knew what had happened it was the end of the first period of extra time, and we were all about to change round once again.
Sunderland decided to make their final change, taking Bjorklund off in favour of Darren Williams, and it was the home team that got the final period of play underway. Whitley tried a shot that rebounded off the Palace defence, and Robinson was the lucky recipient of the ball, his shot going just over the top of the bar. Kyle sent a shot straight at Nico, who had little trouble hanging on to the ball, but this period was starting to belong to the home side.
Darren had to clear a half-chance as Smith looked to get on the end of a cross into the centre, and with little time to run neither side could take the advantage, and as the final whistle sounded we knew we were going to witness a penalty playoff decision. Never very satisfactory, in anyone's book, but to the victor goes the spoils, and to the loser; well, that's another story.
Both keepers made their way to one end of the pitch, and for a few moments the sides sorted themselves out, with Oster stepping up to take the first penalty spot kick. Nico stood rock solid on the line, Oster fired the ball wide, but it hit the right hand post and bounced out. One attempt, and a miss to the home side gave Palace just a slight advantage.
AJ stepped up, measured his run in to the ball, and sent it flying straight through Poom, and though he got a touch with his right hand the ball slammed into the back of the net to maintain our advantage, the mini-score now reading 1-0.
Smith came forward, and as Nico dived one way he sent the ball the other way to make the score 1-1, but Palace still had a kick to come.
Dougie was the next man forward, and though Poom guessed the correct direction he was unable to even get a hand to the ball as Dougie slammed it home to his left, bringing the score up to 2-1.
Babb was the next man to hit the target, as though this time Nico guessed the right direction he dived low and the ball went high, back to 2-2 with Palace still a kick behind.
Neil came next, and he fired his shot straight down the middle as Poom went to his left. The score was back in our advantage, reading 3-2 with us needing just two more successful attempts.
Robinson played his shot low to the left, and though again Nico guessed the right direction he was unable to get low enough, and we were back on level terms, albeit with that kick still to come.
Tony placed a left-footed shot high into the corner of the net to maintain Palace's advantage at 4-3 after four attempts each.
Breen came up for the next attempt, and of course we all knew that should he miss we would be on our way to Cardiff. Once again though, this is Crystal Palace, and nothing ever comes that easily. Breen simply sent Nico the wrong way, and the score now read 4-4 in a contest that seemed to be going on forever.
Shaun stepped up with the chance to finish the game for Palace, but his shot went straight down the middle, Poom reacted well, and he palmed the ball away to ensure the score still read 4-4, and the game was all even once more. Sudden death was certainly here, and many fans could hardly bear to watch.
McAteer stepped up to give Sunderland the lead for he first time in this contest of wills, and nerves, but his shot was anticipated by Nico, who dove to his right and simply fisted the ball away to keep the score at 4-4.
Wayne came forward with the chance to win the game for Palace, but once again the ball went straight to Poom, who managed to force the ball up, and out, and the score remained 4-4, and once again it was a level playing field.
Whitley stepped up, but in all honesty his spot kick was really rather poor, and Nico had plenty of time to get down to the ball to effect the save and keep the score still reading 4-4, giving us another chance to snatch the win.
Michael came forward for the next kick, but although the keeper guessed the right direction, which was to his left, he went under the ball as it blasted into the back of the net to give Palace a clear road to Cardiff, 5-4 on penalties, from 7 attempts each.
We now await confirmation of who our opposition will be, West Ham United or Ipswich Town. Perhaps another penalty shoot-out looms? See you at the game.
Colin Pryce
Sunderland: Mart Poom, George McCartney, Gary Breen, Phil Babb, Joachim Bjorklund (Darren Williams 105), John Oster, Jeff Whitley, Jason McAteer, Sean Thornton (Carl Robinson 69), Kevin Kyle, Marcus Stewart (Tommy Smith 84).
Substitutes not used: Thomas Myhre, Ben Clark.
Crystal Palace: Nico Vaesen, Danny Granville (Darren Powell 72), Danny Butterfield (Dougie Freedman 61), Tony Popovic, Mikele Leigertwood, Wayne Routledge, Aki Riihilahti (Shaun Derry 58), Michael Hughes, Julian Gray, Andrew Johnson, Neil Shipperley.
Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Tommy Black.
Attendance: 34,536
Referee: Mr D Pugh