Sunderland 1-3 Fulham
Sunderland: Le Fée (76’ pen)
Fulham: Jiménez (54’, 61’ pen), Iwobi (85’)
By our man at the Stadium of Light
RAUL JIMÉNEZ proved he is still the master of the “Deadly Double” as he blew Sunderland away in a frantic second-half at the Stadium of Light.
The Mexican hitman, 34, showed the Black Cats no mercy, nodding home the opener before coolly slotting a penalty to leave Regis Le Bris’ men staring down the barrel of a third straight defeat.
While Enzo Le Fée gave the home side a glimmer of hope from the spot, it was Nigerian magician Alex Iwobi who had the final word.
The midfield engine, who has been pulling the strings for Marco Silva all season, capped off a Man of the Match display with a cheeky dinked finish that sent the traveling Cottagers into delirium.
Dull Start, Dynamic Finish
The first half was a total snooze-fest—about as exciting as a wet Tuesday in Roker Park. Sunderland lost Nordi Mukiele and Jocelin Ta Bi to early injuries, and the only thing the fans had to cheer was the halftime whistle.
But whatever Marco Silva put in the tea at the break worked wonders.
On 54 minutes, Iwobi whipped in a corner that found Jiménez completely unmarked. The veteran striker doesn’t miss those, and he powered a header past Robin Roefs to break the deadlock.
Seven minutes later, it was double trouble. Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey—who had a afternoon to forget—hauled down Calvin Bassey in the box. After a quick chat with VAR, referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot. Jiménez stepped up and maintained his 100% Premier League penalty record, sending Roefs the wrong way for his 13th successful spot-kick.
Sunderland finally found some fight when Daniel Ballard was flattened by Ryan Sessegnon. Le Fée stepped up to smash the penalty home, sparking dreams of a late comeback under the Wearside lights.
But those dreams were cruelly crushed by a lightning Fulham counter. Harry Wilson, who has more goal involvements than almost anyone since November, raced clear and teed up Iwobi.
The former Arsenal man didn’t blink, delicately chipping the ball over the onrushing keeper to make it 3-1.
The result sees Fulham leapfrog Sunderland into the top half of the table, while the Black Cats are left wondering where their early-season magic has gone.
Sunderland (4-3-3): Roefs; Mukiele (Geertruida 12’), Ballard, Alderete, Hume; Sadiki, Le Fée, Bellingham; Angulo, Brobbey, Isidor.
Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Diop, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Iwobi; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jiménez.