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Sunderland 1-0 Fulham: Substitute Isidor gets the job done at the Stadium of Light

Match report from Sunderland's 1-0 win over Fulham on Premier League match week 2, with substitute Wilson Isidor settling it late on.

Wilson Isidor (left) and Habib Diarra (right) celebrate after combining to put Sunderland 1-0 up (Photo by Matt McNulty via Getty Images)

Sunderland came out 1-0 winners against Fulham, thanks to the late contributions from substitute Wilson Isidor.

Black Cats' boss Regis Le Bris wanted more from his players after last weekend's defeat to Ipswich.

Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa was searching for his first win in the league, after falling just short of rivals Chelsea on opening weekend.

Story of the Match

Le Bris made one change from opening day, with Luke O'Nein making way for Nordi Mukiele after an abysmal performance last week.

Arbeloa also made one change to his Fulham side from opening weekend, choosing experienced defender Joachim Andersen over newcomer Jorge Cuenca.

Sunderland flew out of the blocks, with Enzo Le Fee having a few half chances at the Fulham net inside the first five minutes.

Sunderland looked a far cry from the display last weekend vs Ipswich, they were creating repetitive patterns of play and calculating their moves.

Granit Xhaka was at the core of those moves, a much better performance from him after his effort last time out.

In the 17th minute, some good Sunderland build-up play between Noah Sadiki, Nilson Angulo and Granit Xhaka would see the Swiss international play the ball out wide to Thomas Meunier.

The Belgian fired a ball in low towards the back post, unsure whether it wanted to be a shot or a cross.

The German keeper Bernd Leno scooped it up uncontested with ease.

Although Sunderland had all of the possession, it was the Cottagers who would have the first big chance in the 26th minute.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Fulham's Josh King shoots over the goal under pressure from Sunderland's Robin Roefs during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)

A daydreaming Reinildo would let Fulham forward Josh King drift in behind the Sunderland defence from the right-hand side.

Alex Iwobi saw the run after receiving the ball from Calvin Bassey, and lifted a pass over the top which found the Norwegian in behind.

King, however, snatched at the ball while turning, and his shot flew wide of the near post.

Danish defender Andersen would pick up Fulham's first yellow card of the day in the 35th minute for a late foul on Angulo.

Reinildo showed a bit of skill to beat three players and unlock the Ecuadorian winger, and his pace proved too much for Andersen.

Sunderland would continue to work the ball round the Fulham box for the last 10 minutes of the half, but Sunderland did not look like a goal threat.

Le Bris should have been the happier manager at half time, as his team had full control of the game and were comfortable in possession.

But his side needed to be more aggressive in and around the box, and take more risks to create better chances.

Despite having 56 per cent of the ball, Sunderland only mustered a measly 0.07 xG, which highlights the severity of their troubles in front of goal. (Stats from Sky Sports)

Arbeloa wanted the opposite from his players. The Whites looked quick on the counter attack, but needed a lot more of the ball in order to be effective.

Second Half

After the break, Sunderland were still the team on top, and they had dominance over the ball for 10 minutes.

But just like in the first half, the big chance dropped for Arbeloa's Fulham.

In the 57th minute, a pass out from Leno found King, who flicked it off to Sander Berge.

The Norwegian international drove the ball upfield, before executing a precision pass to send top scorer Gonzalo Garcia through on goal.

Nordi Mukiele of Sunderland tackles Gonzalo Garcia of Fulham during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Fulham at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, on August 29, 2026. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

However, Mukiele turned on the jets and showed astonishing recovery pace to keep up with the Spaniard, and block his shot with a slide.

Cesar Palacios had a long range shot on goal in the 58th minute, before picking up Fulham's other yellow card of the match a minute later.

Sunderland's Golden Subs

Le Bris thought Sunderland needed changes to disrupt the Cottagers' spell of good play and snuff out their momentum.

The Frenchman sent on Isidor and Habib Diarra in the 65th minute to replace Angulo and Brian Brobbey.

Arbeloa made his own subs a couple of minutes later, bringing off Oscar Bobb and Timothy Castagne and putting on Shea Charles and Ryan Sessegnon.

Le Bris won the trade between the two, as his subs changed the entire course of the match.

A quick showing of Calvin Bassey's underpants on live tv later (the most exciting thing to happen in the game so far), and Sunderland nearly score.

In the 71st minute, Isidor had his first chance at goal after Le Fee received a pinpoint long ball from captain Xhaka.

Le Fee crossed the ball in low for the Haitian striker, and he chose power.

He smashed the ball past Leno, however the ball rattled the post on the left hand side of the goal, and flew out of the box just as fast as Isidor hit it.

Four minutes after his first chance, Isidor would get his reward.

Embed from Getty Images

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wilson Isidor of Sunderland scores his team’s first goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

A similar chance to the first one, Diarra would be the one who was unlocked on the right wing.

He received the ball in behind and made a beeline for the touchline, fizzing the ball in low to Isidor on the penalty spot, left with an open goal after Leno rushed out and mistimed his attempt to stop the cross.

The ball is placed into the bottom left corner, and Isidor celebrated his new contract with a goal.

Sunderland defended for their lives for the rest of the match, and Fulham were pushing hard for an equaliser.

But Arbeloa's men never looked like threatening Robin Roefs in goal.

This means that Sunderland recorded their first win of the season, and their first one at home.

This is important, as the Stadium Of Light played a huge part in the Black Cats' charge into the Europa League last season, where they only lost four games at home throughout the entire campaign.

However, this result looks bleak for Arbeloa.

After a promising performance against a rejuvenated Chelsea team under former teammate Xabi Alonso, that spells two defeats in two for the former Real Madrid manager.

The Spaniard has to go back to the drawing board and think up a new solution to make better situations in matches for his players to be more effective in transition.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wilson Isidor of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Player of the Match: Wilson Isidor

Despite only playing half an hour, Sunderland's number 18 well and truly deserves the praise for his cameo in this match.

He offered a different dimension to the Black Cats' build-up play to Brobbey, using his pace in behind to stretch Fulham's defence and help his team push further up the field.

Xhaka's range of passing and tempo pushing were also instrumental to unlocking Isidor's abilities, and he is unlucky to miss out on POTM due to the lack of attacking threat in the first half.

His introduction changed the entire balance of the game, and his actions along with Diarra have won his side the game.

That is the definition of a gamechanger, and in this case, a match winner.

Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Chelsea, pictured shaking hands with Fabian Hurzeler, Head Coach of Brighton & Hove Albion (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a penalty to make it 3-1 during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on August 30, 2026 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Manchester United head coach / manager Michael Carrick applauds the fans following the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on August 30, 2026 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Gary O'Neil, Manager of Ipswich Town, looks on alongside Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on August 30, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Kevin Schade celebrates opening the scoring vs Leeds United (Photo by Molly Darlington / Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Julio Enciso of Ipswich Town runs under pressure from Luke Shaw of Manchester United and Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on August 30, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker vs Nottingham Forest (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

(Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Chelsea and Emiliano Martinez, goalkeeper of Chelsea celebrates after winning the Premier League 2026/27 match between Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on August 30, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

LEEDS, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, with Ethan Ampadu of Leeds United after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Leeds United and Brentford at Elland Road on August 30, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

LEEDS, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Keith Andrews, Manager of Brentford, with Igor Thiago of Brentford after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Leeds United and Brentford at Elland Road on August 30, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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