Match ends, West Ham United 1, Sunderland 0.
West HamWest Ham United1SunderlandSunderland0
Dick Advocaat's tenure as Sunderland manager began with defeat after Diafra Sakho struck a late winner for West Ham at Upton Park.
The Dutchman, who replaced sacked Gus Poyet on Tuesday, was left to rue a glaring miss by Jermain Defoe when Sakho lashed in with two minutes left.
The Black Cats - for whom Adam Johnson played 17 minutes after the club lifted his suspension following his arrest - are a point clear of the bottom three.
West Ham move above Stoke into ninth.
It was just a second win in 12 Premier League matches for Sam Allardyce's side, who were fourth at Christmas.
But Sunderland's wretched run continues. They have recorded just one league victory this year and scored just once in their last seven matches.
Defeats for relegation rivals Burnley, Leicester and Aston Villa earlier on Saturday means this defeat is not as penal as it might have been, but Advocaat, 67, will likely reflect on a missed opportunity and one missed chance in particular.
Defoe was one of three forwards selected by Sunderland's fifth manager in six years and should have given his side the lead against a side equally low on confidence.
However, the former England international lacked composure when presented with a glaring chance, lashing over after being released by Steven Fletcher.
| Match stats | |
|---|---|
| Guus Hiddink is the only Dutch manager to win his first Premier League game (D1, L5). | Mark Noble provided his 23rd Premier League assist. Only Paolo Di Canio (31) and Trevor Sinclair (25) have more for West Ham. |
| Sakho's winner was West Ham's latest league goal this season (87:42). | Sunderland have failed to score in 15 games this term. Only Aston Villa (17) have drawn more blanks. |
Had he converted, who knows how West Ham might have reacted given they - like Sunderland - had earned just three points from their last six matches.
Instead, Allardyce's men were allowed to work themselves into the contest.
Before the break, Kevin Nolan, Sakho and Alex Song exercised goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, who leaked four in 45 minutes against Aston Villa last weekend.
And after the interval, West Ham took command and perhaps should have been awarded a penalty just after the hour.
Substitute Santiago Vergini had his arms wrapped around Nolan as a ball was flighted in to the penalty area only for the Hammers' captain to be judged offside, even though the delivery flicked off the head of Sunderland's John O'Shea.
Johnson was introduced after 73 minutes, Sunderland having lifted his suspension following his arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.
But West Ham remained the side most likely to score and the goal did finally come with two minutes to play.
Mark Noble's cute flick found Sakho in a pocket of space in the area and the Senegal striker scudded a finish across the helpless Pantilimon.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "The way we have let leads slip here easily, the 1-0 was a fantastic victory for us, because it was a difficult game.
"I felt that when a chance does come along we will score and we got a clean sheet - a rarity for us - so we got both ends right today."
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat: "I am happy with the effort, we had a discussion about that - how to show our fans what we can do.
"It is hard to play against West Ham with long balls, but we didn't give away of lot chances. They are a good side but I did not expect them to score in the 88th minute."
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Adrián
- 18Jenkinson
- 19Collins
- 8Kouyaté
- 3Cresswell
- 30Song
- 16Noble
- 11Downing
- 4NolanSubstituted forde Carvalhoat 80'minutes
- 7JarvisSubstituted forColeat 45'minutes
- 15SakhoSubstituted forO'Brienat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 12de Carvalho
- 17O'Brien
- 20Demel
- 21Amalfitano
- 22Jääskeläinen
- 23Poyet
- 24Cole
Sunderland
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Pantilimon
- 15Réveillere
- 16O'Shea
- 5BrownSubstituted forVerginiat 12'minutes
- 3van Aanholt
- 14Gomez Garcia-Penche
- 7Larsson
- 8Rodwell
- 9FletcherSubstituted forJohnsonat 73'minutes
- 28DefoeSubstituted forGrahamat 88'minutes
- 10WickhamBooked at 63mins
Substitutes
- 2Jones
- 4Bridcutt
- 11Johnson
- 19Graham
- 25Mannone
- 27Vergini
- 41Watmore
- Referee:
- Lee Mason
- Attendance:
- 34,914
Match Stats
Home TeamWest HamAway TeamSunderland
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Sunderland 0.
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Mark Noble (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland).
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Joey O'Brien replaces Diafra Sakho.
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Carlton Cole (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland).
Goal!
Goal! West Ham United 1, Sunderland 0. Diafra Sakho (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mark Noble.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Danny Graham replaces Jermain Defoe.
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Attempt blocked. Mark Noble (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Diafra Sakho.
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Attempt blocked. Stewart Downing (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
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Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by James Collins.
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Attempt blocked. Nenê (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Diafra Sakho (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Carlton Cole.
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Nenê replaces Kevin Nolan.
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Attempt blocked. Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Diafra Sakho.
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Foul by Diafra Sakho (West Ham United).
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Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Adrián.
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Attempt saved. Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Adam Johnson.
