Sunderland U21s 2-4 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Eppleton Colliery Training Ground, Friday 29 August 2025, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s stormed to their first Premier League 2 win of the season with a commanding 4-2 victory over Sunderland at the Eppleton Colliery Football Ground.
Goals from Mohamadou Kanté, Emeka Adiele and a brace from Josh Landers on his full debut for the U21s secured a deserved victory on the road for Mark Robson’s men.
The young Hammers made a blistering start in the North East, racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening quarter of an hour. Kanté opened the scoring on eight minutes, calmly slotting home his third goal in four games after Emeka Adiele won possession high up the pitch and picked out the French midfielder.
Three goals in four games for Kanté 🔥
Our U21s lead at Sunderland 🫡 pic.twitter.com/xeSwIUeGT3
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 29, 2025
Just eight minutes later, the provider turned scorer. Sunderland gifted possession in their own area, and Adiele was on hand to fire beyond Isaac Allen and double the lead.
West Ham’s sharp pressing and confidence on the ball looked set to put the game out of sight early on, but the hosts found a way back before the interval. Ethan Moore broke down the right and squared for Timur Tutierov, who finished clinically to halve the deficit.
Undeterred, West Ham carried their attacking threat into the second half and went close through Adiele, who rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike after dancing past three Sundeland defenders. That warning soon turned into another breakthrough, with Adiele again at the heart of the move. His clever cross to the back post was met by Josh Landers, who nodded in his first goal at U21 level to restore the two-goal cushion.
Landers’ first goal at U21s level restores our two-goal lead at Sunderland ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/AaNtbsMeGF
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 29, 2025
Landers’ confidence only grew from there, and the forward doubled his tally 15 minutes from time. A superb through ball from Preston Fearon released Ezra Mayers, who had broken forward from centre-half. His perfect low delivery was tucked away by Landers to make it 4-1. The Hammers had chances to extend their advantage further, with substitute Jethro Medine also striking the crossbar late on.
Landers bags his brace ✌️
Unreal build-up play from Fearon and Mayers 🤌 pic.twitter.com/jbpPUl9fDo
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 29, 2025
There was late drama as Sunderland were awarded a penalty when from a corner, the ball struck Rayan Oyebade, who despite having his arms by his side, was deemed to have committed a red card offence on the goal line. In the ensuing chaos however, the referee mistakenly sent off Fearon.
Tutierov then converted from the spot to notch his second of the evening, but the ten-man Hammers held on comfortably in stoppage time to see out a deserved victory.
Sunderland U21s: Allan, Je. Jones, Lett (Lightfoot 70), Burke (Proctor 70), Holcroft (Neild 82), Kindon, Moore (Scott HT), Middlemas ©, Whittaker, Ja. Jones, Tutierov
Sub not used: Metcalf (GK)
Booked: Holcroft, Je. Jones, Burke
Goals: Tutierov 34, (PEN) 90+2
West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Briggs (Oyebade 86), Golambeckis ©, Mayers, Robinson (Medine 80), Kanté, Fearon, Clayton (Caliste 80), Battrum (Sowunmi 86), Adiele, Landers
Sub not used: Hooper (GK)
Booked: Clayton, Robinson, Battrum
Sent off: Fearon
Goals: Kanté 8, Adiele 16, Landers 58, 76