Sunderland win opens season

Sunderland defeats West Ham United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light to begin the 2025/26 Premier League season with a decisive win.

Second half Sunderland goals see off West Ham

Sunderland produced a strong result on home soil as they beat West Ham United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday to start the 2025/26 Premier League season. The Black Cats, boosted by a big home crowd and new signings, found the net in the second half through Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and Wilson Isidor to seal the win. A near capacity crowd of 46,233 filled the stadium and the players fed off the energy as the second half began to swing the game. West Ham faced a difficult opening fixture and could not match Sunderland's tempo after the break, leaving the visitors with no answer as the home side pushed further clear.

The result sends a clear message that Sunderland mean business in their return to the Premier League. The goals from Mayenda, Ballard and Isidor show the club's transfer window is making an impact and the atmosphere on the field matched the noise in the stands. The win also highlights how a strong home start can shape a season for a promoted team. West Ham must regroup after a loss that exposes early season frictions between a promoted side's ambition and a veteran club's adaptation. The early data points will feed discussions about depth, squad planning and the pace of top flight football.

Highlights

A strong start can set momentum as the season unfolds