90’+5’Full TimeSecond Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Sunderland 2.90’+4’Post updateAttempt missed. Alex Pritchard (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lynden Gooch.90’+3’Post updateAttempt blocked. Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matheus Pereira.90’+2’Post updateAttempt blocked. Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Conor Gallagher.90’+1’Post updateAttempt saved. Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Conor Gallagher.90’SubstitutionSubstitution, West Bromwich Albion. Kyle Bartley replaces Dara O’Shea.90’Post updateCorner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Lee Burge.89’Post updateAttempt blocked. Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matheus Pereira.87’Post updateAttempt missed. Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matheus Pereira with a cross following a corner.86’Post updateCorner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Conor McLaughlin.85’SubstitutionSubstitution, West Bromwich Albion. Owen Gardner-Hickman replaces Muhamed Besic.83’SubstitutionSubstitution, West Bromwich Albion. Harvey Barnes replaces Callum Robinson.83’Post updateAttempt blocked. Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Conor Gallagher.83’SubstitutionSubstitution, West Bromwich Albion. Marc Albrighton replaces Hal Robson-Kanu.
Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland climbed into the Championship top six as they came from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. John Swift’s first-half penalty on the stroke of half-time gave Albion a just about deserved interval lead. But Lynden Gooch crossed for Dennis Cirkin to power in a header for the equaliser five minutes after the restart and then waltzed his way into the Albion box to cap a fine team move and score again for a match-winning second six minutes from time. It ended a six-month unbeaten home run for Albion, who had not lost in 13 games at The Hawthorns since Corberan’s first home game in charge in late October, reversing their 2-1 victory at Sunderland in December when they were the ones to trail to a first-half penalty but turned it round to win.
West Bromwich Albion head coach Carlos Corberan said: “I knew how hard it would be to face Sunderland as they are so comfortable on the ball. They were more clinical where it counts, in the penalty area. The players put everything in to win the game but I didn’t see anyone giving up out there.”
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray said: “We’ve had some great away days this season – and this was another one. We were brave on the ball. It’s nice to see so many of our young lads trying to play football the right way. We controlled the game for long periods. And you can see they’re enjoying it.”
West Bromwich Albion had one early penalty claim dismissed when Jayson Molumby was challenged by Abdoullah Ba, but referee John Busby was more generous just before the break when Swift went down after a brush with Luke O’Nien and fired home for his sixth league goal of the season, all of which since the turn of the year have been penalties. Cirkin’s header six minutes after the break levelled the contest and then he controlled a pass, took the ball on and lifted a neat finish over Albion keeper Alex Palmer six minutes from time to secure victory for Sunderland.
The result ended a six-month unbeaten home run for Albion and dropped them to ninth place in the Championship, two points shy of the play-off places with a game in hand coming up this Wednesday against second-placed Sheffield United who will be promoted if they win. Sunderland’s final home game next Saturday is against Watford and they are also away on the final Monday, at Preston.