Flores ends Watford tenure with Sunderland draw

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Watford failed to send off departing manager Quique Sanchez Flores with a victory as Sunderland left Vicarage Road with a 2-2 draw on Sunday.

Fresh from securing their Premier League future in midweek with a 3-0 rout of Everton, Sunderland twice took the lead through Jack Rodwell and Jeremain Lens, but each time the Hornets hit back with Sebastian Proedl and Troy Deeney finding the net.

Fans gave Flores, who will leave the club after just a year in charge, a rapturous reception before kick-off and his side then played their part in an entertaining fixture.

Almen Abdi twice came close to hitting the target when well placed and when he finally did with a third attempt for the hosts, Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved comfortably.

For all Watford’s early pressure, though, it was the visitors, for whom manager Sam Allardyce had given a chance to several young players, who took the lead.

Rodwell arrived unmarked at the back post to open the scoring on 39 minutes with a simple finish.

Two minutes later the visitors were harshly denied a second from Duncan Watmore by a debatable offside flag.

It took Watford only two minutes after the break to equalise as Proedl headed home Adlene Guedioura’s corner to score his first Watford goal.

Yet just three minutes after that Watmore broke clear from another Watford corner before finding Lens, who fired past goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

Sunderland had another effort from Dame N’Doye chalked off by an offside flag and, just 60 seconds later, John O’Shea brought down Jose Jurado in the box, allowing Deeney to crash home the spot-kick.

Two minutes from time Odion Ighalo had the chance to snatch a winner but he placed his shot wide and Flores bowed out with a draw.