Soccer Blog Video

Peter Odemwingie inspired West Bromwich Albion to a 4-0 Premier League win over in-form Sunderland with two goals at The Hawthorns.
The Nigerian struck early in each half, with James Morrison and Keith Andrews also on target as the Baggies cantered to just their third home win of the season.

Andrews was handed his full West Brom debut, stepping in for the injured Paul Scharner as Roy Hodgson made one change from the side which thrashed Wolves 5-1. Martin O'Neill's Sunderland were unchanged from the team which beat Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup last weekend, with Stephane Sessegnon again ploughing a lone furrow up front.

West Brom were quick out of the blocks and took the lead after just three minutes. Youssouf Mulumbu delivered a right-footed cross into the area and Odemwingie escaped the attentions of Kieran Richardson to head past Simon Mignolet. It was a fine finish from the Nigerian who displayed all the confidence of a man boosted by a hat-trick against Wolves in his previous match.


West Brom continued to look far the more threatening team, but Jack Colback wasted a golden chance to restore parity for the Black Cats when he failed to make proper contact with an inswinging Phil Bardsley cross.

Morrison then forced a diving save from Mignolet after unleashing a fierce left-footed effort from the edge of the area.

West Brom were utterly dominant and scored a deserved second before half-time. The impressive Jerome Thomas hung up a cross to the back post where Morrison was on hand to produce a downward header that gave Mignolet no chance.

Marc-Antoine Fortune, who has produced several strong performances since being recalled to the Baggies side by Hodgson, almost made it 3-0 before the break but his close-range effort was deflected wide by Richardson.

O'Neill responded to his side's dire first-half display by replacing Colback and Richardson with Fraizer Campbell and Nicklas Bendtner at the break.

But within three minutes of the restart the Black Cats fell further behind as Odemwingie swept home a cross from Fortune.

The Frenchman's cut-back was actually intended for Morrison but instead found the Nigerian inside the area and he made it five goals in his last two games.

Thomas then curled a sumptuous effort against the bar as West Brom threatened to run riot.

Sunderland were brighter in an open second-half and Lee Cattermole fired a presentable chance over the bar after beating two West Brom defenders.

Gardner let fly with a stinging effort that Foster managed to beat away as Sunderland looked for a consolation goal.

West Brom were still threatening and Mulumbu played in Thomas whose shot was blocked by Mignolet. Fortune then saw his follow-up effort cleared off the line.

Michael Turner headed a free-kick just wide from close-range, the ball coming to him quickly, giving him little time to direct his header.

Andrews completed the scoring in injury time with a goal on his full debut. The former Blackburn midfielder fired home after good play down the left from Morrison and a cut-back from substitute Graham Dorrans.

This was a rude awakening for a below par Sunderland side who have been one of the form teams in 2012 under the stewardship of O'Neill.
Source: Eurosport


TEAM LINE-UP:
WEST BROMWICH ALBION: Foster; Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Odemwingie, Mulumbu, Morrison, Andrews, Thomas; Fortune. Subs: Fulop, Cox, Long, Dorrans, Tchoyi, Shorey, Dawson.
SUNDERLAND: Mignolet; Bardsley, Richardson, Turner, O'Shea, Larsson, McClean, Cattermole, Colback, Gardner, Sessegnon. Subs: Bridge, Campbell, Kilgallon, Meyler, Kyrgiakos, Bendtner, Westwood.