In what could go down as Dick Advocaat’s last game as Sunderland boss, his Black Cats barely landed on their feet despite building a 2-0 lead over West Ham United at the Stadium of Light.
Steven Fletcher and Jeremain Lens staked Sunderland to its 2-goal advantage, but Carl Jenkinson pulled one back before halftime and Dimitri Payet finished the comeback in a 2-2 draw.
Lens later picked up a second yellow card, earning a dismissal, but West Ham did not capitalize on the red.
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Sunderland opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Fletcher. Yann M’Vila’s cross came to the penalty spot, where the Scot put the Black Cats up with a left-footed finish.
And Lens had it 2-0 less than 15 minutes later, chipping a slightly out-of-position Adrian.
Jenkinson pulled West Ham to within one before halftime, darting in front his mark to no-doubt the ball home
Normally steady Costel Pantilimon then couldn’t handle a hard shot, and Payet raced in to poke the rebound home. They left Sunderland in droves, with the score 2-2.
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]1:44 - Mark Noble’s booking at Sunderland is the 2nd quickest of the season in the PL (behind Max Gradel’s after 37s vs Leicester). Rapid.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 3, 2015
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