Eliezer Mayenda scooped the Man of the Match award during Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night. As ever in the Championship, the game wasn’t without its refereeing controversy.
Eliezer Mayenda loves playing Sheffield Wednesday. In 27 Championship games this season he’s scored six goals, with four of them coming against Sheffield Wednesday with another two scored at Hillsborough on Friday night.
The 19-year-old returned to the Sunderland XI as Wilson Isidor was rested on the bench. Mayenda opened the scoring after 34 minutes and then put the Black Cats back in front after 71 minutes of the game, after Callum Paterson had equalised shortly after the break.
Sunderland’s win at Sheffield Wednesday halts a run of back-to-back defeats for Regis Le Bris’ side, who remain in 4th place of the Championship table and close the gap to Burnley in 3rd to just three points, though the Clarets have a game in hand, as do Sheffield United in 2nd and Leeds United in 1st.
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Eliezer Mayenda reaction to handball in Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Sunderland
Mayenda’s first goal of the night caused some debate on social media. The long ball over the top from Leo Hjelde appeared to striker Mayenda’s hand; right in the eye line of the referee, though he didn’t blow his whistle, and only Svante Ingelsson of Sheffield Wednesday really protested the goal.
Nonetheless, Mayenda converted the chance and the goal stood, setting the Black Cats up for what was a much-needed win on the road. After the game, Mayenda was awarded the Man of the Math award by Luke O’Nien, and he was asked whether or not the ball struck his hand in the build up to his first goal.
Mayenda responded: “I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. It’s not a really great goal, but a goal is a goal, so I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Clinton Morrison verdict on Eliezer Mayenda goal vs Sheffield Wednesday
There were a couple of incidents in the game against Sheffield Wednesday where Sunderland may have gotten a bit fortunate. But only a week ago, Sunderland were denied a stonewall penalty against Hull City because of a missed handball.
In the Championship, some decisions go one team’s way, and others go another way. But Sky Sports pundit and former Owls striker Clinton Morrison thinks the Mayenda goal should certainly have been disallowed.
He said in the studio at half-time: “I don’t understand how no one in the vicinity [didn’t] appeal that. Mayenda is fortunate because it trickles over the line, but it’s a stonewall handball. Any way you look at it, it should be disallowed because we know what the rules are.”
The game is done and dusted now and Sunderland have a vital three points on the board, with a couple of very winnable home games coming up against Cardiff City and Preston North End.