- Defoe scores winner with PK
- Pienaar sent off
- Bournemouth lead early
- Sunderland grab first win of season
Sunderland secured their first Premier League win of the season at the eleventh attempt as they battled back from a goal down, and being reduced down to 10-men, to win 2-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Dan Gosling gave Bournemouth the early lead at the Vitality Stadium with David Moyes watching on nervously from the stands following his touchline ban.
Victor Anichebe equalized in the first half but Moyes was soon grimacing once again as Steven Pienaar was shown a second yellow card in the second half and Sunderland had to play the last half an hour with 10-men.
That didn’t matter though, because Anichebe was brought down in the box and Jermain Defoe scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-1.
Sunderland held on for a vital win and moved on to five points for the season, while Bournemouth remain on 12 points after losing two-straight games.
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The Cherries took an early lead as a beautiful flowing move ended in Brad Smith‘s fine cross from the right which was guided home by Gosling. 1-0.
Bournemouth had all the play early on with Eddie Howe‘s team pushing hard for a second but Jordan Pickford denied Junior Stanislas.
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A rare break forward from Sunderland saw Duncan Watmore steam ahead down the right but his dangerous cross didn’t find a teammate.
Sunderland were level before half time as the ball was played into Anichebe and he turned brilliantly before rifling home. 1-1. Game on.
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Just before half time Sunderland thought they’d gone ahead when a patient team move found Billy Jones and his cross into the box was tucked home by Watmore… but the offside flag was up.
Buoyed by their equalizer Sunderland impressed early in the second half as Didier N’dong forced Artur Boruc to beat away an effort from the edge of the box.
Jack Wilshere had an effort saved by Pickford and then a game-changing moment arrived. Pienaar lunged in on Stanislas and he caught the Bournemouth striker high and referee Mike Dean had no option other than to give him a second yellow card. Sunderland down to 10-men and Moyes’ face up in the stand was a picture of misery.
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Stanislas came inches away from giving Bournemouth the lead but his shot hit the far post and bounced out as the Cherries piled on the pressure late on.
Wilshere and Stanislas linked up well but the latter saw his shot go just wide but then the game took another unexpected twist.
Anichebe was played in by Watmore and Smith got his tackle all wrong as Dean awarded a penalty kick. Defoe stepped up and dispatched the spot kick to send the traveling fans wild.
Sunderland battened down the hatches late on as Benik Afobe forced an effort just wide and Pickford brilliantly denied Josh King and then Lys Mousset put another effort wide as Sunderland held on.
A huge win and potentially a turning point for the Black Cats.
