Nigerian stars Calvin Basseu and Alex Iwobi found themselves on the losing side as Sunderland defeated Fulham 1-0.
Despite Iwobi and Bassey starting the game, the African talent who stole the show was Senegalese substitute Habib Diarra, who came off the bench to deliver the match-winning assist for Wilson Isidor.
Sunderland vs Fulham: As it happened
The first half was largely uneventful, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. Fulham had the best opportunity when Josh King raced onto Alex Iwobi’s perfectly weighted through ball, but he fired over the crossbar.
The contest remained cagey after the break, prompting both managers to make double substitutions in search of greater attacking impetus. Sunderland substitute Isidor almost made an immediate impact, hitting the post after a dangerous counter-attack.
The striker would not be denied, though. In the 75th minute, fellow substitute Habib Diarra burst down the right and delivered a low cross that Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno could not reach, allowing Isidor to calmly finish into an empty net for his seventh Premier League goal.
Romaine Mundle had a late opportunity to double Sunderland’s advantage but fired straight at Leno. It mattered little as Isidor’s strike secured Sunderland’s first victory of the season, coming just days after he signed a new five-year contract.
The defeat handed Álvaro Arbeloa his second consecutive loss as a Premier League manager, while Fulham started a season with back-to-back defeats for the first time in six years. Sunderland climbed to 11th, with Fulham no higher than 15th.
