Back
According to a report by BBC Sport on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Sunderland secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Chelsea in their Premier League meeting, with Enzo Le Fee scoring the only goal of the contest from the penalty spot.
The Black Cats delivered a determined performance to preserve their first-half lead and frustrate Chelsea after the break. Despite making several attacking substitutions, the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.
Sunderland suffered an early setback when Granit Xhaka was forced off with an injury just three minutes into the match. Jules Ahoka came on to replace the midfielder. Chelsea enjoyed periods of possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances against Sunderland's well-organised defence.
The hosts came close to opening the scoring in the 15th minute when Brian Brobbey received a promising pass inside the penalty area. However, his attempt narrowly went wide. Chelsea responded through Morgan Rogers, whose header from a dangerous position drifted just past the right post.
The visitors appealed for a penalty in the 23rd minute following an incident inside Sunderland's box. However, referee Jarred Gillett reviewed the situation with the assistance of VAR and decided to stand by his original decision, denying Chelsea the opportunity to take the lead.
Sunderland eventually broke the deadlock in the 36th minute after Levi Colwill was penalised for holding an opponent inside the penalty area. Following a VAR review, the referee upheld the penalty decision. Le Fee stepped up and confidently sent his effort into the bottom-left corner to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.
Chelsea tried to respond before half-time, but Romeo Lavia's effort from the edge of the penalty area narrowly missed the target. Sunderland therefore went into the break with their lead intact.
The visitors brought on Estêvão and Danny Welbeck after the restart as they looked to strengthen their attacking options. However, Sunderland remained organised defensively and continued to limit Chelsea's opportunities. Goalkeeper Mike Penders also comfortably dealt with an attempt from Wilson Isidor.
Chelsea increased the pressure during the closing stages, with Malo Gusto and Geovany Quenda both attempting to score from long range. However, neither player managed to hit the target.
Sunderland held on through seven minutes of added time to claim all three points. Their disciplined defensive performance ensured that Le Fee's first-half penalty remained the decisive moment in the match.