adminI just watched Sunderland lose late at Fulham – this is what went wrong and why they struggled
Sunderland suffered a 1-0 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage. For much of the match, it seemed destined to be a forgettable affair—potentially one of the less memorable fixtures of the weekend.
Still, Fulham will feel their late winner from Raul Jimenez was well-earned in a sluggish contest where they created the clearer chances. Sunderland, in contrast—and it’s rare we say this this season—fell well short of their best.
The Black Cats struggled to generate meaningful opportunities and, despite usually finishing strongly in 2025, faded dramatically after their brightest spell early in the second half. Fulham largely controlled proceedings, keeping Sunderland at bay, even neutralizing set pieces, which have often been the visitors’ strength.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris stuck with the system that had served them well in previous fixtures, with Omar Alderete returning from concussion but only on the bench.
The opening exchanges unfolded predictably: Sunderland pressed high but dropped into a compact block when necessary.
Defensively, they were mostly untroubled, while Traore provided their brightest moments, twice creating chances. His first shot curled wide, and his second was blocked by Leno, who reacted sharply off his line.
Ironically, Sunderland’s most threatening moment of the first half came from their opening corner, which Fulham cleared and quickly turned into a counterattack.
Harry Wilson, a constant menace on the ball, broke through and fired just wide of the far post, leaving Roefs beaten.
Sunderland were fortunate again when Fulham cut through their defense; Kevin’s effort went straight at Roefs instead of finding Jimenez.
Injury issues, like Nordi Mukiele’s temporary setback, compounded their difficulties, though Sunderland survived another scare when Kevin headed straight at Roefs from close range.
After navigating that tricky period, Sunderland managed the remainder of the first half relatively comfortably. Their next chance came when Traore cut inside and forced a straightforward save from Leno.
Fulham, meanwhile, had largely looked pedestrian against a low block but remained dangerous on the break—a challenge Sunderland had to manage while attempting to create more themselves.
The second half began promisingly for Sunderland, with Le Fee showing excellent control before curling just wide of Leno’s far post. They looked more threatening in the opening exchanges and enjoyed better possession in advanced areas.
Yet, as in the first half, Fulham’s key opportunity came during Sunderland’s best spell. Wilson drifted into space, collected the ball, and fired narrowly wide.
Moments later, substitute Smith-Rowe struck magnificently from the edge of the area, only for his left-footed shot to whistle just wide.
By the final fifteen minutes, Fulham had squandered several excellent chances but remained the dominant side.
The breakthrough came with just five minutes remaining. Substitute Samuel Chukwueze, left unmarked on the left, delivered a dangerous ball into the box, and Jimenez bundled it in from close range. Fulham’s substitutions had injected fresh energy into a previously quiet period, allowing them to manage the remaining minutes comfortably.
Having created so little throughout the match, Sunderland had few grounds to dispute the outcome. Fulham’s deserved winner leaves the Black Cats with plenty to reflect on as they look to bounce back.
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