7 Things Learned From Sunderland's 1-0 Loss To Sacramento Republic

6. Lee Cattermole Doesn't Take Friendlies Lightly

Despite the match being a friendly, fans did see the referee flash his yellow card on one occasion - no prizes for guessing the recipient. Despite Lee Cattermole's vastly improved disciplinary record over the past two years, he still found himself in the book for a poorly-timed challenge late in the game. Although ostensibly a negative aspect of the game from a Sunderland point of view, the incident shows that Cattermole's characteristic fire and commitment is far from diminished (even in pre-season) despite the security of his recent five-year contract extension.