Le Fée penalty hands Sunderland win over Chelsea at Stadium of Light

Sunderland beat Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday in a Premier League match after Enzo Le Fée converted a 33rd-minute penalty to decide the game.

The victory mirrored Sunderland’s win over Chelsea on the final day of last season in May, which, the club recorded, had secured European qualification for the first time in 53 years; on this occasion it lifted Sunderland off the bottom of the Premier League. A depleted defence — without the injured Dan Ballard and the banned Omar Alderete — held firm, allowing goalkeeper Robin Roefs a relatively calm afternoon, while Chelsea’s defeat saw them drop out of the top four under Xabi Alonso.

Régis Le Bris made sweeping changes from the Europa League side that lost at home to Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday, with only captain Granit Xhaka, Thomas Meunier and Roefs retained. Xhaka, who had been the subject of summer interest from his former coach Alonso according to the club report, was forced off with an injury after less than three minutes, but Sunderland’s starting intent did not waver.

Chemsdine Talbi’s early penetrations unsettled Chelsea, one creating a blocked Trai Hume shot and another presenting Brian Brobbey with a clear opening. A loose pass from Hume led to Jules Ahoka being booked for hauling down Moisés Caicedo, and referee Jarred Gillett consulted VAR after a scrappy Luke O’Nien challenge on Cole Palmer before play continued as the contact appeared just outside the area. Marco Palestra delivered a cross that was headed wide by Rogers as Chelsea failed to convert several promising moments.

Brobbey twice threatened the visitors, including a run that beat Wesley Fofana before his effort flew just over the near post, and Nordi Mukiele also picked up a booking amid a physical first half. Chelsea lost composure when Gillett awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute after Levi Colwill brought down Brobbey; despite Colwill’s complaint that Brobbey had tugged his shirt the decision stood. Enzo Le Fée stepped up and "sent Penders the wrong way and dispatching into the goalkeeper’s bottom-right corner."

Xabi Alonso responded at half-time with a reshuffle rather than a single substitution, bringing Estêvão on for Colwill and moving Caicedo into the backline to bolster the attack. In the second half Thomas Meunier was booked for a late tackle on Caicedo and Brobbey received a yellow for wrestling Lavia to the ground; Brian Brobbey was later replaced by Wilson Isidor midway through the period.

Estêvão produced a burst from midfield that ended with Reinaldo blocking the chance, and after Le Fée’s through ball created an opportunity Isidor’s shot was saved by Mike Penders with Pep Chavarría clearing the rebound. As the match approached its closing stages Alonso introduced Geovany Quenda for Chavarría and the substitute forced a deflected effort just wide; Cole Palmer’s header from a Malo Gusto cross landed on Roefs but produced no goal, while Talbi dragged a long-range strike narrowly wide.

The result moved Sunderland off the bottom of the Premier League and left Chelsea outside the top four; the match also began a run described by the manager as a challenging quartet of fixtures leading into the Tyne-Wear derby next month.