SUNDERLAND: Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United thanks to Nick Woltemade’s unfortunate own goal on Sunday which settled the derby in dramatic fashion as the fierce North-East rivals met in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade.

Woltemade’s header a minute into the second half proved decisive as fans who marked their calendars after Sunderland’s promotion were treated to an entertaining game that lived up to its billing as one of English football’s fiercest clashes.

Woltemade’s mistake marked just the second Premier League own goal in the Wear-Tyne derby, extending Sunderland’s unbeaten run against their rivals to 10 Premier League games.

Sunderland remain unbeaten at home this season and the win lifted Regis Le Bris’s side to seventh on 26 points, two points off the top four. Newcastle slipped to 12th on 22.

“Derbies are here to win, it doesn’t matter how. I know how painful it was ... losing here,” Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka told Sky Sports, referring to their 3-0 defeat by Newcastle in the FA Cup third round in January 2024.

“They (the fans) motivate us, because of this, much more than before. This team deserves much more than this respect because where we are is amazing. We work very hard and deserve to be where we are.”

FRANTIC FIRST HALF

A lively but scrappy first half failed to produce shots of note, though neither team shirked from physical challenges during 45 frantic minutes.

The half was marred by an injury to Newcastle defender Dan Burn, who took a knee to the chest from Sunderland’s Nordi Mukiele while sliding in for a clearance.

The towering Englishman returned to the field after treatment but signalled to come off less than five minutes later, clearly in pain. The club later said Burn had been taken to hospital.

With barely any goalmouth action in the first half, Sunderland broke the deadlock a minute into the second when Woltemade attempted to clear a cross into the box but headed the ball into his own net as the Stadium of Light erupted.

SUNDERLAND ENERGIZED

The goal energized Sunderland and they pressed high as Newcastle were pegged back into their own box under sustained pressure, desperately making clearances to catch their breath.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe had seen enough and made a triple substitution around the hour mark to bring on Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock but Sunderland continued to pile on the pressure.

Sunderland’s top scorer Wilson Isidor, also introduced in the second half, gave the home side their first shot on target when he chested down a long ball and acrobatically fired an effort that was palmed away by Aaron Ramsdale.

Sunderland fans gave Woltemade a standing ovation when the Newcastle striker was substituted but soon after they had a heart-in-mouth moment when his replacement Yoane Wissa nearly got on the end of a deflected cross.

Tempers flared in added time when Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs bravely went up to catch the ball and fell heavily on his back when Willock attempted to challenge him, causing both teams to square up as the referee produced four yellow cards.

But when the final whistle blew, it was Sunderland who sealed all three points in their first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016.

“I don’t think it was our finest game. I think the endeavour and the effort was there, but the quality was missing today,” Howe said.

“A game of really few chances for both teams. It was decided on a bit of a freak goal from our perspective that we didn’t defend well enough.”