Match ends, Birmingham City 0, Sunderland 3.
BirminghamBirmingham City0SunderlandSunderland3
Sunderland scored three second-half goals to defeat Championship side Birmingham City and move into the third round of the Capital One Cup.
David Cotterill hit the post and Wes Thomas fired an effort wide as Blues came close to taking a first-half lead.
But their opponents took control late on as Jordi Gomez scored from 25 yards following Adam Johnson's square pass.
Johnson doubled the lead after good work from Jozy Altidore, before Connor Wickham's angled effort sealed the win.
Gus Poyet's team will now play fellow Premier League side Stoke City at home in the third round of the League Cup.
Sunderland have never won the competition, but lost in the 2013-14 final, when they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City at Wembley.
Birmingham manager Lee Clark:
"I'm not speaking about the officials, I'd rather spend my hard-earned money on something else rather than a fine. I am going to go through the right channels, I will have some footage for them.
"It's not a true reflection of the game. We played well, the scoreline does not do my players justice. After the first goal the players started chasing the equaliser and Premier League players will pick you off.
"We were more than a match for a very good team."
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet:
"It was a strange game, it was a poor first half but somehow we got to half-time 0-0 but the second half was different.
"The same group of players got something at half-time and the first goal was key.
"It's not going to be perfect all the time, after we scored it was the best we have played this season. We played rubbish for 45 minutes but we finished the game on a high. It's the way the Cup goes."
Line-ups
Birmingham
Formation 4-4-2
- 21Doyle
- 2EardleySubstituted forSpectorat 33'minutes
- 4Robinson
- 8Gleeson
- 6Edgar
- 15Hall
- 7DuffySubstituted forNovakat 61'minutes
- 31Caddis
- 10ThomasBooked at 53mins
- 9Donaldson
- 11Cotterill
Substitutes
- 1Randolph
- 3Grounds
- 12Novak
- 16Johnstone
- 23Spector
- 26Davis
- 33Gray
Sunderland
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Pantilimon
- 27Vergini
- 2Jones
- 4Bridcutt
- 5Brown
- 16O'Shea
- 11Johnson
- 7LarssonSubstituted forGiaccheriniat 81'minutes
- 17Altidore
- 14Gomez Garcia-Penche
- 10Wickham
Substitutes
- 3van Aanholt
- 6Cattermole
- 8Rodwell
- 9Fletcher
- 23Giaccherini
- 25Mannone
- 30Buckley
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 11,245
Match Stats
Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamSunderland
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Birmingham City 0, Sunderland 3.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Billy Jones.
Post update
Paul Robinson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Adam Johnson (Sunderland).
Goal!
Goal! Birmingham City 0, Sunderland 3. Connor Wickham (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini.
Goal!
Goal! Birmingham City 0, Sunderland 2. Adam Johnson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jozy Altidore.
Post update
Attempt missed. Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Wes Brown.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Emanuele Giaccherini replaces Sebastian Larsson.
Post update
David Cotterill (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Billy Jones (Sunderland).
Post update
Attempt saved. Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Birmingham City 0, Sunderland 1. Jordi Gómez (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Paul Caddis (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Foul by Wes Thomas (Birmingham City).
Post update
Wes Brown (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt saved. David Edgar (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Attempt missed. Wes Brown (Sunderland) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
