Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over Chelsea, lifting them off the bottom of the Premier League after Enzo Le Fee converted a penalty in the first half. The win gave the Sunderland side their second league triumph of the season.
Manager Regis Le Bris had been under pressure following a 2-0 home defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday, a result that had put his position in doubt ahead of the international break.
The match featured two contentious penalty decisions. Chelsea protested that Cole Palmer should have been awarded a spot‑kick after a foul by Luke O’Nien moments before Sunderland’s goal, but a VAR review concluded the contact occurred outside the penalty area, so the decision stood.
Ten minutes before half‑time, Sunderland were given a penalty after referee Levi Colwill judged Brian Brobbey to have been fouled in a scramble for the ball. Le Fee calmly slotted the spot‑kick past Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders, and Sunderland held on despite Chelsea missing the presence of Joao Pedro up front, with Palmer and Morgan Rogers kept in check.
The result leaves Chelsea, who have suffered four defeats in ten league games under manager Xabi Alonso, in fifth place, two points shy of the top four. Sunderland, meanwhile, move up from the league’s bottom position.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
