Isidor’s stoppage-time header seals Sunderland’s late turnaround against Brentford

Sunderland struck twice late to overturn Igor Thiago’s opener and beat Brentford 2-1 at a raucous Stadium of Light. Robin Roefs had earlier preserved parity by saving Kevin Schade’s penalty before Enzo Le Fée equalised from the spot and substitute Wilson Isidor rose in stoppage time to nod in Granit Xhaka’s cross, with Caoimhín Kelleher getting a touch but unable to keep it out.

The victory lifts Sunderland to sixth with two wins from their opening three matches on their return to the Premier League. It is only the second time they have won their first two home games in the competition, the other coming in 2001-02, and the late salvo underlined the perseverance that ultimately separated two well-organised sides.

Fine margins: VAR reprieve and a tale of two penalties

In a conservative first half Brentford looked the likelier team to land the first blow. Dango Ouattara thought he had done just that after cushioning a clever reverse pass from Nathan Collins and gliding between Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete before finishing beyond Roefs, only for VAR to show he had been fractionally offside.

After the interval the contest pivoted on two decisions inside the area. First, Reinildo Mandava was penalised for hauling Collins down at a set piece with the ball some distance away, but Schade’s first senior penalty lacked conviction and Roefs saved comfortably. Then, when Brentford substitute Rico Henry was deemed to have pulled Habib Diarra, Le Fée rolled the resulting kick into the bottom corner in the 82nd minute.

Thiago strikes, but Sunderland refuse to fold

Keith Andrews’ plan had largely muted Sunderland’s creative edge, with Jordan Henderson controlling tempo on his return to his boyhood club. It was finely poised, two smartly drilled teams cancelling each other out, until the visitors seized the initiative.

Henderson departed to warm applause and his replacement Frank Onyeka swiftly made a mark, sweeping over a superb cross that Thiago stretched to meet with a text-book header past Roefs. At that point Brentford appeared well placed to close things out.

Le Bris’s bench and Xhaka’s delivery turn the night

Sunderland still had gears to find and chances to take. Diarra had earlier been unable to connect with a highly inviting Le Fée cross, but Le Bris’ changes maintained pressure and, with Xhaka increasingly dictating, the hosts forced Brentford deeper and deeper.

Isidor, who had announced the birth of his daughter a day earlier, timed his leap perfectly to meet Xhaka’s late delivery from the left. Kelleher reached it but could not hold, and the Stadium of Light erupted as Sunderland completed a comeback that also offered Le Bris pause in his search for another striker before the window closes.

Context and consequences

Back in the top flight for the first time since 2016-17, Sunderland’s second win in three contrasts sharply with last season’s promoted pack, who had to wait until 19 October for a second victory. They had mustered only one shot on target before Le Fée’s equaliser, yet found a late surge when it mattered.

For Brentford, this was a harsh lesson in game management. They had a first-half strike ruled out, missed from the spot, then led through Thiago’s fine header, only to relent under late pressure and concede twice. Andrews’ side will travel back to London ruing the inability to close out a match that had seemed within their grasp.