‘Can’t even explain’… Daniel Farke says player got lucky as Sunderland beat Leeds United 1-0

Daniel Farke expressed his thoughts on Sunderland playmaker Alex Pritchard’s unexpected header that led to Jobe Bellingham’s decisive goal in their 1-0 victory against Leeds United. Despite both teams entering the match in good form, with Sunderland coming off a win against West Brom and Leeds winning six of their last seven league games, the match proved challenging for the latter.

Leeds struggled to create their typical chances at the Stadium of Light, facing strong tactics from Sunderland. In the second half, Bellingham scored the only goal after a cross into the Leeds box was headed away by Pascal Struijk, only to hit Pritchard and redirect back into the penalty area. Bellingham capitalized on this fortunate bounce, nodding the ball past the onrushing Illan Meslier.

Farke acknowledged that Sunderland posed a threat, and despite his team’s efforts to defend with seven players behind the ball, they were unlucky in conceding the goal. He noted Pritchard’s fortunate contribution, stating that the playmaker couldn’t even explain how the ball bounced back into the box. Farke expressed disappointment but credited Sunderland for their effectiveness.

While recognizing Pritchard’s luck, Farke also pointed out that Leeds should have done better in closing down spaces and preventing the initial cross into the box. He emphasized the need for defensive improvement, even if the goal resulted from an inadvertent header.