Sunderland secures first win of the season against Fulham

Nearly 47,000 supporters packed the Stadium of Light on August 30 and watched Sunderland grind out a 1-0 victory over Fulham, collecting the club’s first Premier League points of the 2026/27 campaign. Wilson Isidor’s right-footed finish in the 75th minute was the difference, a moment that sent Wearside into delirium and left Fulham still searching for answers after two consecutive defeats.

How the goal happened

The match had settled into a tense, low-scoring affair for more than 70 minutes before Habib Diarra found Isidor with a well-timed pass. The 26-year-old striker, who joined Sunderland in February 2025 on a deal running through summer 2028, made no mistake with his finish, burying a right-footed shot to break the deadlock.

It was the kind of moment Sunderland had been building toward since their promotion via the playoffs against Sheffield United in May 2025.

Referee Michael Salisbury kept the match largely uneventful from a disciplinary standpoint, allowing the game to flow and letting the two sides settle things on the pitch rather than through the whistle.

What this means for Sunderland’s season

Three points from two matches is a perfectly respectable return for a newly promoted side. Sunderland lost their opening match, and getting off the mark at home, with an attendance of approximately 46,781, sends a message that the Stadium of Light will be a difficult place to visit this season.

Wilson Isidor’s importance to Sunderland’s survival hopes cannot be overstated. The Haitian-descent forward was recruited specifically as the kind of player who could translate Championship form into Premier League output.

Fulham’s early-season trouble

Two matches, zero points. That is Fulham’s current reality. Losing to a newly promoted team at their home ground is concerning, and the lack of attacking productivity is a pattern that demands immediate attention.