Match Report: Sunderland U21s 7-1 Athletic Club U21s
Sunderland U21s cruised to a comfortable 7-1 win against Athletic Club U21s at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday.
A brace from the returning Jake Waters, and goals from Dan Neil, Dennis Cirkin, Timur Tutierov, Jaydon Jones and Ben Middlemas gave the hosts an emphatic win, with Jesus Vizcay scoring in the first half for Athletic Club.
SCINTILLATING SEVEN AT THE SOL!!!!! pic.twitter.com/jXxRjf0GCD
— SAFC Academy (@AcademyOfLight) November 12, 2025
Graeme Murty’s side came into Wednesday’s European affair following an impressive win against PL2 league-leaders Ipswich Town, and an entertaining draw with Anderlecht in their first PL International Cup Group D fixture.
Murty fielded a starting 11 including first-team players Cirkin, Neil and Luke O’Nien to help them back to full match fitness ahead of the busy festive period.
The hosts made a great start and took an early lead, when Cirkin fizzed a low-cross to Jake Waters, who calmly turned on the ball and slotted it home.
The pressure continued to mount on the Basque outfit, with Felix Scott’s shot being blocked, but fell straight to Jaydon Jones, whose shot rattled the crossbar.
Sunderland doubled their lead in the 13th minute, thanks to Jaydon Jones picking the pocket of defender Alex Torres on the edge of his box, before slotting the ball past ‘keeper Iker Pagazartundia.
Tutierov went close to adding a third, when his shot curled narrowly wide shortly, before Waters’ shot was comfortably saved.
Sunderland’s dominance continued and found their third 25 minutes in, when Tutierov’s deflected shot on the edge of the box wrong-footed the goalkeeper and found the net.
Athletic Club had a rare venture forward late into the first half, as O’Nien’s deflected block fell to the feet of Vizcay, who was able to pass the ball into the net from the six-yard line.
Sunderland responded straight from kick-off, where Neil’s shot deceived the goalkeeper and trickled into the corner.
Dan Neil on the scoresheet!
Follow the action live
— SAFC Academy (@AcademyOfLight) November 12, 2025
As the half came to a close, Middlemas’ skilful run past the Athletic Club’s defence left him two-on-one with the goalkeeper, before selflessly squaring the ball for Waters, who got his second of the game.
After a stop-start beginning of the second half, a moment of quality from Cirkin, in the 58th minute, gave Sunderland their sixth. Tutierov’s cross was blocked straight into the path of Cirkin, who touched the ball out of his feet and curled the ball brilliantly into the bottom corner.
Tutierov showed his quality again halfway through the second half, when he beat his man and fizzed the ball into the box; only just deflecting onto the post and wide.
As the full-time whistle closed in, Middlemas intercepted the ball from the Athletic Club defence and calmly passed the ball into the corner past a stranded Pagazartundia.
Sunderland U21s return to PL International Cup action, as they play Sporting Lisbon U21s next Thursday at the Stadium of Light (7pm kick-off).
