Black Cats, Clarets in bore draw

Cape Town - Sunderland and Burnley played out a rather drab 0-0 draw in Saturday's Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light in the north east of England.

In a game of few clear cut chances, Scott Arfield would miss a first half free-kick while Ashley Barnes scuffed a sitter for Burnley late on.

Adnan Januzaj then had some decent chances in the second half but no goal was forthcoming, and with the match winding down, Jordan Pickford produced a fine save to deny Sam Vokes from securing the points for the Clarets.

Burnley would create the better of the chances in the first period.

In the 17th minute Arfield went close from a curling free-kick.

The Black Cats were wasteful going forward although Jermain Defoe did go down in the box in the 37th minute under a challenge, but no penalty was given. Five minutes later Ashley Barnes may feel he should have opened the scoring for Burnley when he missed a virtual sitter in front of goal from Arfield's cross.

After the interval, Sunderland showed greater threat in attack as Adnan Januzaj was teed up by Defoe, who then saw his strike well saved by Tom Heaton in the 50th minute.

In the 63rd minute Billy Jones also came close to getting on the end of Sebastian Larsson's cross from a counter-attack.

Four minutes later, Januzaj got himself into a good position around the penalty area and fired a sizzling effort that went just inches wide of the post.

Later in the half, midfielder Ibrahim Ndong then fed in Defoe who was narrowly beaten to the ball by an alert Heaton in goal.

Robbie Brady would go close in the closing stages with a shot that was saved by Jordan Pickford, before the keeper produced a superb stop to deny Vokes on the rebound.

In injury time, Fabio Borini tried to win it for the home team but his powerful drive was tipped over to safety by Heaton.