Sunderland came from behind - and held on with ten men - to beat Birmingham City at the Stadium of Light and move to within a point of the play-off places. The Black Cats fell behind on the half-hour as George Hall put the Blues ahead.
But Trai Hume levelled in injury-time at the end of the first half and, with a quarter-of-an-hour to go, Amad scored his 12th goal of the season to complete the turnaround. Minutes later, Dennis Cirkin was sent off for a second bookable offence which meant Sunderland had to hang on for dear life towards the end but they saw the game out.
And that win lifted them to ninth in the table and cut the gap between themselves and the play-off spots to a single point, at least until Blackburn Rovers take on Hull City later this evening. Sunderland made it back-to-back wins after their victory at Cardiff on Easter Monday, ending their two-month wait for a home win in the process, and extended their unbeaten run to five games.
READ MORE: Sunderland 2-1 Birmingham City: Highlights and reaction as Black Cats go to within a point of top 6
Tony Mowbray made two changes to the side that started at Cardiff, with Patrick Roberts and Edouard Michut coming into the side in place of Abdoullah Ba and Pierre Ekwah. Birmingham boss John Eustace named an unchanged side, sticking with the same XI that began his side's goalless draw at home to Stoke City.
Sunderland dominated the first half and could have gone in front inside five minutes. Roberts had already tested John Ruddy from 25 yards, but a better chance came when Amad slid the ball to Lynden Gooch inside the area on the right and he cut it back looking for Alex Pritchard at the near post, but Marc Roberts got there just in front of the midfielder to deny him a tap-in and put it out for a corner.
Birmingham's had a sight of goal when Lukas Jutkiewicz met a corner, but he could only steer his header wide of the target. For all Sunderland's possession, the Blues began to settle in the game and Anthony Patterson was called upon make a good save low at the foot of his left-hand post to keep out an effort from Tahith Chong.
And Birmingham took the lead on 29 minutes after they capitalised on a rare mistake from Danny Batth. Batth was caught on the ball by Juninho Bacuna, who played in Chong in the right-hand channel and he squared for the unmarked Hall to score from 10 yards.
Patterson then saved from Jutkiewicz after Jack Clarke had given the ball away with a sloppy pass. Goalscorer Hall was forced off with an injury a few minutes before the break, with Jobe Bellingham replacing him.
Sunderland finished the half strongly, winning a series of corners. And from one of those Hume equalised three minutes into injury time.
Pritchard's set-piece from the left was headed back across goal by Batth at the far post, Roberts flicked it goalwards and Hume nodded in from close range. Patterson produced another fine save within a minute of the second half getting under way, stopping and holding a powerful effort from Reda Khadra after he had been set up by Chong.
Mowbray made a double substitution just after the hour, sending on Luke O'Nien and Joe Gelhardt in place of Gooch and Michut. Within a couple of minutes of entering the action, Gelhardt set up a gilt-edged chance for Roberts.
Gelhardt's pass found the forward inside the box, unmarked, and with only the goalkeeper to beat but he lifted his finish over Ruddy and the crossbar when he should have scored. Midway through the second period, Clarke brought a save out of Ruddy with a firm header after Pritchard had chipped the ball to the far post for the winger.
But Sunderland completed the turnaround in the 76th minute, as Amad cut into the penalty area from the right and steadied himself for a shot, with his low strike beating the keeper and finding the bottom left-hand corner. Just two minutes later, Sunderland were reduced to ten men when Cirkin saw red for a second bookable offence after fouling Chong.
Birmingham piled on the pressure in the latter stages, but Sunderland held out for three points that could be crucial in the race for the play-offs.
How they lined up
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch (O'Nien 62), Neil, Michut (Gelhardt 62), Clarke, Amad (Ekwah 90+2), Roberts (Anderson 80), Pritchard. Subs not used: Bass, Lihadji, Ba
Booked: Cirkin
Sent off: Cirkin
Birmingham City: Ruddy, Colin, Roberts, Long, Trusty, Bacuna, Bielik (James 77), Chong, Hall (Bellingham 42), Khadra (Hannibal 72), Jutkiewicz (Hogan 72). Subs not used: Etheridge, Dean, Chang
Booked: Bielik, Colin
Referee: Steve Martin (Staffordshire)
Attendance: 39,659
READ NEXT:
- Sunderland loanee Bailey Wright to play a part in Rotherham's relegation fight despite bad injury
- Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray on the one major area that has hampered his side this season
- Tony Mowbray sets out the task ahead of Sunderland if they are to make the play-offs
- Tony Mowbray explains his show of faith in Pierre Ekwah after youngster's error against Hull
- Danny Batth not afraid of increased competition as Sunderland prepare to strengthen squad
