Sunderland end winless run in the Championship
Sunderland 2 - 1 Stoke City
Teenage Sunderland midfielder Tom Watson celebrated a career milestone by scoring his first two senior goals, helping his side secure a much-needed victory over Stoke City.
The win ended a six-game winless run for the Championship promotion contenders.
The hosts hadn’t tasted victory since 26 October and fell behind early, as Liverpool loanee Lewis Koumas, aged 19, opened the scoring for Stoke in just the sixth minute. After his initial effort was saved, Koumas showed composure to slot home the rebound with his left foot, marking his fourth goal of the season for the Wales international.
Stoke’s lead, however, was short-lived, lasting less than a minute. Watson, only 18 years old, linked up beautifully with Jobe Bellingham inside the box before unleashing a powerful low shot that beat Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson at his near post.
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Watson almost added a second just before half-time, cutting in from the same side and forcing Johansson into another save. This time, the keeper managed to deflect the effort onto the post. Sunderland continued to push, with Wilson Isidor coming close on two occasions, while Watson himself missed a golden chance, firing over the bar from close range.
The decisive moment came in the 86th minute. After Sunderland had a goal disallowed following a Watson cross, the young midfielder seized his chance to be the hero. Patrick Roberts found him in space, and Watson’s strike took a fortunate deflection, wrong-footing Johansson and nestling in the opposite corner.
The result brought huge relief to Sunderland and showcased Watson as someone who could be crucial for the club's future.
This could prove to be an important win for #Sunderland. Visit eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com/p/efl-202420... for more reaction to the match. youtu.be/e9dQBWyvVis?...
— European Super Football (@superfootball.bsky.social) 7 December 2024 at 16:03
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One Sunderland posted on Facebook: "A fantastic win for us, it has been a while. The atmosphere when Watson scored was the loudest it has been for a while. It was also a deserved win. We offered the strongest attacking threat."
Another Sunderland fan added: "So nice to get a win after dodgy results and performances recently. I'm just hoping this will get the players, and the whole club, loads of confidence and push us towards promotion at the end of the season."
