A Jeremain Lens goal has given Sunderland a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa this afternoon, after two Scott Sinclair goals had given the hosts a first-half lead.
© Getty Images
Sunderland looked determined to find their first league win of the season from the start, and the Black Cats' early pressure paid off as M'Vila gave the visitors the lead on nine minutes with a 25-yard free kick which curled past Brad Guzan.
Villa did not wait long to find an equaliser though, as Sinclair was brought down by Lee Cattermole in the Sunderland box. The former Manchester City winger picked himself up before firing the spot kick past Costel Pantilimon.
© Getty Images
Sunderland struggled to recover from Sinclair's quick response, and the hosts twice came close to taking the lead as Ashley Westwood and Idrissa Gueye both fired wide.
Villa eventually took the lead on 41 minutes, when Jordan Amavi picked out Sinclair with an inviting cross for the winger's second goal.
Sunderland started the second half well - substitute Steven Fletcher tested Guzan with a header, before Jermain Defoe fired a long-range effort well wide.
Jeremain Lens found an equaliser for the visitors on 52 minutes, after dribbling past Ciaran Clark before firing past the Villa keeper.
The hosts responded well to Lens' leveller - Gueye and Leandro Bacuna both missed efforts to restore the hosts' lead, before Rudy Gestede glanced a header wide from from an Amavi cross.
Pantilimon produced a good save to keep out Westwood on 81 minutes, before Gestede dragged an effort wide.
Micah Richards almost gave Villa the three points before the final whistle, but his header from a Westwood corner went over the bar.
Stephen Topping
