Isidor Off the Bench to End Sunderland's 17-Year Wait Against Fulham
Wilson Isidor came off the bench to score the goal that gave Sunderland their first win of the 2026-27 Premier League season — a 1-0 victory over Fulham at the Stadium of Light that ended a 17-year wait for a league win against the west London side (The Guardian, 30 August 2026).
Both teams arrived on matchweek two still searching for their first points of the new campaign, each having lost their opening fixture (BBC Sport, 29 August 2026). Sunderland, managed by Régis Le Bris, were also carrying the weight of recent history. Fulham had won 3-1 on their last visit to the Stadium of Light in February 2026, with Raúl Jiménez scoring twice, and before this weekend Sunderland had not beaten Fulham in a Premier League match since 2009 (The Guardian, 30 August 2026; BBC Sport, 22 February 2026).
The breakthrough came from a double substitution. Le Bris sent on Habib Diarra and Isidor for Nilson Angulo and Brian Brobbey, and the two combined: Diarra set up Isidor, who found the net. Diarra later had to come off himself, replaced by Chris Rigg after picking up an injury (The Guardian, 30 August 2026).
Sunderland's lineup also featured goalkeeper Robin Roofs and the return of Nordi Mukiele in central defence after his own injury absence. At the other end, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno started behind a side managed by Álvaro Arbeloa. Fulham's attacking threat included Gonzalo García, who had arrived from Real Madrid in the summer and scored twice in his first two games for the club, though he could not add to that tally on Wearside (The Guardian, 30 August 2026). Michael Salisbury refereed the match (Premier League).
For Isidor, a forward who signed a new contract at Sunderland running until 2030 (Premier League), the moment capped what he had described days earlier as "an amazing time to be a Sunderland player" (Sunderland AFC, 27 August 2026). Owner Kyril-Louis Dreyfus has backed Le Bris with signings like Brobbey and Diarra as part of Sunderland's push to establish themselves in the top flight after promotion.
What makes this stand out is the story of patience — from the club ending a 17-year drought against this particular opponent, to a substitute waiting for his moment and taking it inside minutes. For Sunderland supporters, a first home win of the season against a team that put three past them here seven months ago will feel like early evidence that this side can belong at this level. For Fulham and Arbeloa, it is back to the drawing board after two defeats from two.
