The Momentum Report - Sunderland dispatch Hammers on Premier League return

Match Report

Not a single Sunderland fan could’ve predicted that result. The last time the Mackems won a Premier League match was a 2-0 away win at Hull in May 2017, and today Sunderland swept aside West Ham United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light.

The pre-match scenes were raucous, the sell-out home crowd brought the noise and passion from well before kickoff.

The lads started strong and on the front foot, with an early, well-worked chance for Habib Diarra, saved by Mads Hermansen.

West Ham then took a strong foothold for the rest of the first half, dominating possession and creating some gilt-edged chances through Hammers’ standout Jarrod Bowen, including a shot that beat Robin Roefs in goal, but Dan Ballard cleared off the line magnificently. However, the half ended all square.

The second half resumed in the same vein, with chances for both sides but no concrete attempts on goal to trouble either keeper.

Then, in the 61st minute, substitute Omar Alderete whipped in a precise cross to find Eliezer Mayenda, with a defender draped over him, the Spaniard got a well-placed, glancing header on the ball past Hermansen and into the bottom-left corner.

ELIEZER MAYENDAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! 😍 pic.twitter.com/yBOZzjJdpF

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

The crowd erupted, eight years of pain and heartbreak were relieved with one head of the ball. Sunderland are well and truly back.

The Wearsiders took the game from there, with a similar goal from who else but Dan Ballard, meeting a perfectly whipped Simon Adingra cross.

DAN BALLARDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/gsP5Jh34nV

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Then, in added time, a Wilson Isidor dagger from a counter-attack to put the fixture to bed. An unconvincing yet well-fought first half, a dominant and controlled second half, three points for the Mackems.

WILSON ISIDORRRRRRRRRR!!! pic.twitter.com/anASKSLsI5

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Player Ratings

Robin Roefs - 8/10

The new keeper from NEC Nijmegen put in a mighty fine performance in goal for the Black Cats, making four saves. The only negatives in his game were: the shot he let past from El Hadji Malick Diouf that Ballard had to clear; and his 52% pass accuracy that will need cleaning up in the long term, but nobody expected perfection. A great debut for the Dutch shot-stopper.

Rock solid debut 👏👊 pic.twitter.com/tKpSedQdaC

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Reinildo Mandava - 7/10

Another debutant in the famous Red and White, Reinildo had a quality game at left-back, playing all 90 minutes, winning 100% of his tackles, and winning a foul. As good as a game could be for a defender, short of a goal contribution.

Up and down the left ↕️🇲🇿 pic.twitter.com/frbTgWyCCs

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Dan Ballard - 10/10

I could probably leave this section blank, and nobody could even begin to form a counter-argument. A clean sheet on Premier League debut, a goal-line clearance, a perfect header to double the lead, and the total domination of Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson. What more could you ask of a centre-back? 10/10, no notes.

Big Dan Ballard 😍💪 pic.twitter.com/iISKI3mZXB

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Jenson Seelt - 6/10

Jenson Seelt has barely had a chance to make a mark in the Sunderland shirt with unfortunate injuries piling up, and sadly, yet again, his game was cut short due to what looked like a nasty fall on his lower back, hence the lower rating. Hopefully, he’ll be okay and it’ll only be a short-term problem, but only time will tell.

His performance before his substitution was solid but raw, a couple of wayward passes caught my eye, but for an undeveloped talent who is yet to make his mark on first-team football, let alone in the Premier League, a solid debut.

Trai Hume - 7/10

Fresh off his new long-term contract signing, the Northern Irish international put in a vintage Hume performance. He executed the fundamentals with poise, made his signature crunching tackle, recieved the iconic “HUUUUMEEE” from the crowd, and did his job for the full 90.

The poor crossing accuracy does jump out at you on the statsheet, only completing one of six crosses, but that stat is always a two-way street depending on the movement in the box.

Habib Diarra - 7/10

The club record signing, Habib Diarra, debuted with a solid performance. The benefactor of the best chance of the first half, he challenged Hermansen with the shot, but no goal to reward himself with. He quietly did his job in the midfield engine, pulling the strings with 71% pass completion.

Granit Xhaka - 7/10

El Capitan, Xhaka performed as you’d expect from a grizzled veteran of the Premier League, even after a few seasons away in Europe. Accurate from the left-sided corners, stoic in his defence, a great game for the new skipper.

Leading us to our first @PremierLeague win since 2017 🫡 pic.twitter.com/qdgruSmgjj

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 16, 2025

Noah Sadiki - 8/10

The stats don’t seem to show it, but for me, Noah Sadiki was everywhere in defensive midfield. On the “eye test” alone, he looked like a prime N’Golo Kante, whizzing around the park looking to regain possession for the Mackems.

Chemsdine Talbi - 8/10

An assist on debut can never be sniffed at, even if the result was already sealed. The young Moroccan had a somewhat understated debut for the majority of the game, quietly completing 100% of his passes, and then he created the final nail in the coffin, finished by Wilson Isidor.

Simon Adingra - 9/10

If Talbi’s debut was understated, Adingra’s was shouted from the rooftops. Direct in his dribbling, intense in his gegenpressing, the young Ivorian did it all, then an inch-perfect, bending cross to find Ballard in space on the penalty spot. As perfect as a debut could be, minus a goal for himself.

Eliezer Mayenda - 9/10

The ‘big man’ sure introduced himself on the Premier League stage, breaking the deadlock with a scrappy but well-placed header to score the first top-flight goal for Sunderland since Javier Manquillo in a 5-1 defeat to Chelsea on the final day of the 2017 season.

Substitutes

Omar Alderete - 8/10: Rock solid and classy off the bench, relieving the injured Seelt, somehow appearing on the wing from centre-back to assist Mayenda’s opener.

Enzo Le Fée - 6/10: Only 15 minutes on the pitch, not many opportunities to make a mark, but solid 89% passing from the Frenchman.

Wilson Isidor - 8/10: Subbed on, only four touches, buried the dagger, what more could you ask from a substitute, be ready and contribute.

Chris Rigg - N/A: The wunderkind only played one minute in ‘garbage time’, and didn’t register a stat in that time. Hopefully, more opportunities will arise for the home-grown phenom.

Who’s up next?

Sunderland next face Burnley away at Turf Moor next Saturday. At a glance, I’d look out for Alderete to start alongside Ballard at centre-back, but I predict an unchanged squad, barring injuries during training midweek, or any incoming transfers.