Sunderland stun Chelsea at home to climb off the bottom of the Premier League
Sunderland sprang a surprise in matchweek 10 of the Premier League. At home, the Black Cats beat Chelsea by the narrowest of margins (1-0) on Sunday 8 November. The precious win, courtesy of an Enzo Le Fée penalty, lifts them off the bottom of the table.
Rieltony LOUBOKO · Author profile ·
Listen to this story
Synthetic English voice · 1 min 58 s
The game started cautiously, but Sunderland looked dangerous in the 15th minute. After Chemsdine Talbi burst down the left, Brian Brobbey met the cross at the far post but failed to hit the target.
Chelsea then tried to respond, notably through Cole Palmer, who appealed for a penalty after a challenge involving Luke O’Nien. After a VAR check, however, the referee ruled that the foul had been committed outside the box.
A few minutes later, Sunderland were awarded a penalty of their own after a foul by Levi Colwill on Brian Brobbey. Enzo Le Fée took it and wrong-footed Mike Penders to open the scoring in the 35th minute.
Chelsea powerless despite changes
Trailing at half-time, Chelsea came out with attacking intent. Xabi Alonso brought on Estevao for Levi Colwill, among other changes. But the Blues struggled to threaten and failed to hit the target in the first fifteen minutes of the second half.
The successive substitutions were not enough to turn the tide. Sunderland even went close to doubling their lead in the 77th minute, but Wilson Isidor was denied by Mike Penders. At the other end, Geovany Quenda narrowly missed an equaliser with a deflected shot that grazed the post.
Despite mounting pressure in the closing minutes and a chance for Danny Welbeck in stoppage time, Chelsea could not get back into the game.
The defeat extends the Blues’ away struggles, with only two wins in their last eleven competitive matches. Sunderland, for their part, claim a second league win of the season and move up the table. Robin Roefs was named man of the match.