Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 0, Sunderland 1.
Sunderland surprised the play-off chasing 10 men of West Bromwich Albion to take a narrow away win at The Hawthorns in the Championship.
Baggies forward Brandon Thomas-Asante was sent off for two bookable offences late in the first half.
Four minutes later, Sunderland's Pierre Ekwah reacted first following a corner to smash the ball high into the goal.
West Brom stay fifth in the table, seven points inside the play-off places with three games left, with Sunderland 13th.
A cagey opening to the match saw very few clear chances created, with West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt shooting over the bar from distance and Sunderland defender Luke O'Nien reacting brilliantly to clear the ball following a Baggies free-kick.
Moments later, another Mikey Johnston free-kick found the head of right-back Darnell Furlong, whose looping header was palmed away by Anthony Patterson in the Black Cats goal.
The big turning point came just as half-time was approaching, when Thomas-Asante received his second yellow card following a late challenge.
Before the half-time whistle could be blown, a corner kick fell straight to the feet of Ekwah, who reacted brilliantly to find the roof of the net.
Ekwah - whose previous four goals for Mike Dodds' side all came in home victories - nearly scored a second, but home keeper Alex Palmer kept hold of his rasping drive.
With the scoreline at 1-0, West Brom pushed to level it, but Jed Wallace was unable to reach an enticing cross and Matt Phillips' shot sailed wide.
Sunderland held on for just their sixth away win in 21 attempts in the Championship this season, completing their first league double over West Brom since the 2006-07 season.
West Bromwich Albion head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM:
"I think that we have lost that game because we didn't manage well three aspects of the game.
"When we were playing 11 against 11, we need to play with more calm. We were forcing balls in behind that didn't help us to stretch them enough.
"We didn't know how to play with one yellow card. It's not the same as when you play without a yellow card.
"The last aspect was because we conceded one goal in one set-piece situation that we could have avoided."
Sunderland interim head coach Mike Dodds told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"The sending off is obviously a huge turning point in the game.
"Then obviously scoring so quickly after the sending off, I just felt if the group were really professional in terms of what we asked of them, if they are really diligent in terms of the moments, it was going to be a comfortable afternoon.
"I didn't feel like we needed to change a huge amount. They had one or two moments without actually getting to the goal.
"But we also have to be respectful. They are fifth in the league, they have got some real quality footballers. They are always going to have moments in the game."
Line-ups
West Brom
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Palmer
- 2FurlongBooked at 63mins
- 5BartleySubstituted forAjayiat 45'minutes
- 4KipréBooked at 86mins
- 3TownsendSubstituted forPhillipsat 67'minutes
- 14ChalobahSubstituted forReachat 45'minutes
- 27Mowatt
- 31Fellows
- 11DianganaSubstituted forJ Wallaceat 61'minutesBooked at 68mins
- 23JohnstonSubstituted forSwiftat 62'minutes
- 21Thomas-AsanteBooked at 43mins
Substitutes
- 6Ajayi
- 7J Wallace
- 10Phillips
- 17Weimann
- 19Swift
- 20Reach
- 22M'Vila
- 33Griffiths
- 35Yokuslu
Sunderland
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Patterson
- 32HumeBooked at 31mins
- 5Ballard
- 13O'Nien
- 6PembéléSubstituted forAleseat 71'minutesBooked at 80mins
- 39Ekwah
- 24Neil
- 28StylesBooked at 85mins
- 31RiggSubstituted forRobertsat 71'minutes
- 7Bellingham
- 20ClarkeSubstituted forBaat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Silva Semedo
- 10Roberts
- 11Burstow
- 14Mundle
- 17Ba
- 22Aouchiche
- 30Bishop
- 42Alese
- 46Dack
- Referee:
- Matt Donohue
- Attendance:
- 25,366
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home1
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 0, Sunderland 1.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Darnell Furlong.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Abdoullah Ba replaces Jack Clarke.
Post update
Foul by Jack Clarke (Sunderland).
Post update
Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Dan Neil (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Jed Wallace (West Bromwich Albion).
Post update
Attempt missed. Jack Clarke (Sunderland) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Alex Mowatt.
Booking
Cédric Kipré (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Cédric Kipré (West Bromwich Albion).
Booking
Callum Styles (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Pierre Ekwah (Sunderland).
Post update
Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Anthony Patterson (Sunderland).
Post update
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Jed Wallace is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum Styles (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick Roberts with a headed pass.
Comments
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Not pretty
Worst home performance from the baggies this season.
This season Sunderland kicked and fouled Albion off the park. BTA was looking for revenge on Ballard. Not condoning, 2 silly tackles that cost Albion the match ATID! COYB!
SOTW!!!!! COYB!!!!!
Still a strong position in the playoffs for us.
If we do, we have no chance performing like we have. Cwedit to the Mackems who were the much better team today so we mustn’t gwumble!
I remember us playing WBA in the Youth Cup final in 69. Always had respect for their club and their fans.
Seems respect counts for nothing with the younger generation.
Good luck for the play offs from a Sunderland fan
Itll be good to have at least one team representing the Black Country in the Prem next year.
Good luck WBA.
We’re going to Wemberleee. ATID
Youre NOT Youre NOT (thanks to Coventry lol)
If you are pleased with the victory and backed the National winner have a good weekend, no horses killed that must please all of us xx