Sudfeld and the 49ers beat the Vikings 17-7 in a save battle

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nate Sudfeld led a 14-game, 79-yard drive for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-7 in a preseason game with mostly backups Saturday night.

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Sudfeld started and went 13 of 17 for 102 yards in the competition with rookie Brock Purdy backing up starting quarterback Trey Lance. JaMychal Hasty caught Sudfeld’s touchdown and rookie Danny Gray made a 2-point conversion after Minnesota missed coverage.

Robbie Gould converted each of his three field goal attempts for San Francisco.

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It was largely a sloppy performance for both teams after almost all of the intended first-team players were retained. The teams were coming out of a week of joint training.

There were four turnovers combined, three by Minnesota, with three fumbles — each team losing one. San Francisco averaged 4.6 yards per game, and the Vikings were limited to 3.9 yards per game in their first home game with Kevin O’Connell as head coach.

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Sophomore quarterback Kellen Mond started for Minnesota but was intercepted on the first practice of the game. Mond went 10 of 20 for 82 yards and was also picked on his final throw of the night.

Sean Mannion was 10 of 15 for 65 yards as he and Mond battled for Kirk Cousins’ backup position. Rookie Ty Chandler had 19 rushing yards, including a 3-yard TD on an eight-play, 60-yard drive designed by Mannion.

Purdy finished 14 of 23 for 128 yards for San Francisco and had some strong moments, but he gave up a trade with running back Tyrion Davis-Price with the 49ers at the goal line.

Lance, a Minnesota native, did not play, nor did Jimmy Garoppolo.

TRAINERS ROOM

49ers: Several 49ers were knocked out and didn’t play, although all of the starters pitched would likely have been eliminated anyway. These included DT Arik Armstead (knee), CB Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring) and S Jimmie Ward (hamstring). Ward should be out for a while. … RB Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) was retained. RB Trey Sermon (ankle) started and had five carries for 8 yards. … Another hamstring injury occurred in the game with WR Austin Mack falling in the first half and not coming back. … Backup OT Sam Schlueter, an undrafted free agent from Minnesota, suffered a knee injury.

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Vikings: CB Andrew Booth Jr., a second-round rookie, left in the first half with an ankle injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. … TE Irv Smith Jr. (thumb surgery) remains on track to be ready for the regular season opener. He will soon be back in training, O’Connell said this week. … OL Chris Reed, who played as a centre-forward and right guard, is injured in the elbow. He didn’t play on Saturday after not training this week. … RG Jesse Davis was held out of practice Thursday, wearing a sleeve over his right knee. He didn’t play.

SORRY, NOT THIS TIME

In total, the teams declared 54 players eliminated before the match, 27 for each team.

For San Francisco, only three players listed with first-team offense and defense have played. Guards Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford started on offense. Tackle Javon Kinlaw was the only defensive starter, although nickelback Samuel Womack III also played.

The only projected starter for the Vikings was defensive end Armon Watts.