Sunderland 1-2 Leicester City U21s player ratings - How James Hunter rated the players

Sunderland lost 2-1 to Leicester City's under-21s to leave their progression in the EFL Trophy resting on the final group match against Scunthorpe.

One of just three players retained from the weekend's league win over Southend, Chris Maguire gave the Black Cats the lead. Having won the free-kick, he got up to curl it into the top corner from 25 yards.

And in a rather flat first half, that was about as good as it got, with Alim Ozturk's unfortunate injury the only other point of note.

But in the second half conceding an early penalty set the tone as Sunderland lost the game 2-1.

Here's how James Hunter rated the Sunderland players.

Picture highlights as Sunderland fall short against Leicester U21s

CHRIS MAGUIRE 6
Found the net with a fine free-kick in the first half, very quiet in the second

MARC McNULTY 4
Struggled to make any kind of impact

DUNCAN WATMORE 5
Ran up blind alleys and there was no end product

Sunderland's Duncan Watmore (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

BENJI KIMPIOKA 4
This was his big chance and he blew it

SUBS
JORDAN WILLIS 5
For Ozturk 37mins. Took over from the injured Ozturk
AIDEN McGEADY 5
For Kimpioka 69mins. Could not get spark the side into life
WILL GRIGG 5
For Watmore 74mins. No service, no goal-threat

NOT USED: Patterson, Power, O’Nien, Hume

JON McLAUGHLIN 6 No chance with the goals, and made a couple of saves to prevent further humiliation CONOR McLAUGHLIN 4 OK in the first half but looked ropey in the second, and gave away the penalty TOM FLANAGAN 5 Didn’t do much wrong, but shared collective responsibility for a poor defensive display ALIM OZTURK 6 Return from injury cut short after less than 40 minutes after he picked up a knock LAURENS DE BOCK 5 Made his comeback from injury but offered nothing when Sunderland went forward GRANT LEADBITTER 5 Missed a golden opportunity to salvage a draw at the death DYLAN McGEOUCH 4 The game passed him by