Sunderland rounded off their summer tour of the United States with a second preseason victory on Sunday, beating EFL Championship side Wrexham 1-0 at Subaru Park. Nordi Mukiele scored the decisive goal in the first half for Regis Le Bris' side.
Eight of the 11 starters reached the hour mark, while Brian Brobbey, Habib Diarra and Trai Hume impressed. Twelve players came off the bench, with goalkeepers Robin Roefs and Anthony Patterson sharing duties - Roefs played the opening 60 minutes and Patterson the final 30.
Bounce-back team performance
After Thursday's 1-0 loss to Leeds United, Sunderland produced a clear response. The Black Cats played with much higher energy, keeping Wrexham on the back foot for most of the first half. A strong defensive setup allowed them to string passes together at ease in midfield, with Romaine Mundle, Noah Sadiki and Diarra all showing their talents.
Unlike the Leeds match, Sunderland showed a clear identity and worked tirelessly in front of several thousand fans. Even after ample second-half changes, their energy stayed the same as they grinded out a first clean sheet - or shutout - of the summer.
Chris Rigg continues to impress
Chris Rigg, only 19 years old, made his third straight start of the US tour and continued what has been a productive summer. The versatile attacker showed great awareness and skill at times, spraying passes around the Subaru Park pitch before playing 60 minutes. After registering one goal and one assist in Sunderland's Premier League return, Rigg looks destined to play a large role in the upcoming campaign.
Brobbey turns provider for Mukiele
Brian Brobbey is known more for goalscoring than playmaking, but it was the other way around on Sunday. He gathered a long pass from Trai Hume on the right wing, used his strength and hold-up play in the box, and laid the ball off for the onrushing Mukiele to sneak past Arthur Okonkwo. After a below-average showing against Leeds four days ago, Brobbey was much more involved in the final third.
Mukiele injury concern
First-half jubilation turned into second-half concern for Nordi Mukiele. He scored Sunderland's opening goal with a clinical finish, but was later forced out with an apparent leg injury. The right-back walked straight off the field after talking with a Sunderland staff member before heading to the locker room. Jenson Jones replaced him for the final 30 minutes. Mukiele made 35 appearances for the Black Cats last season, so any time missed would be a major loss.
Patterson's first summer minutes
Anthony Patterson, back from a loan spell at Millwall last season, earned his first minutes of the summer. The 26-year-old played the final 25-plus minutes, replacing Robin Roefs in the second half. It marked his first Sunderland appearance since August 26, 2025, when he started in an EFL Cup penalty shootout loss to Huddersfield Town.
Patterson made two key saves, denying Nathan Broadhead's header and Lewis O'Brien's long-range shot in the dying stages. Having made 16 appearances for Millwall last term, it remains to be seen whether Le Bris keeps him this year.
