Before I attempt to sum up the feelings of elation and the euphoric atmosphere in which Saturday’s season opener took place, I’d like to say that it’s a genuine privilege to be the one who writes the first Premier League edition of Roker Report’s ‘Matchday Musings’.
I joined the writing team two years after we were relegated from the top flight. I’ve always longed to scribble about top flight football as a Lads fan, and now I’ve got the chance to do that, it’s extremely exciting.
Now, personal pride
aside, there was a game to write about this weekend — and what a game it was, as the Lads marked their return to the country’s elite after a near decade-long absence with a stunning 3-0 home victory over West Ham United.
Goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and Wilson Isidor set us on our way, but this game was about far, far more, and as we seek to put early points on the board and build confidence for the challenges to come, it felt even more significant than our 1-0 victory over Tottenham eighteen years ago.
Graham Potter’s Hammers endured a tough season during 2024/2025, with Julen Lopetegui eventually losing his job as they struggled for consistency, yet the arrival of the former Brighton and Chelsea boss didn’t exactly spur a drastic upturn in fortunes.
That said, it was fair to say we might’ve assumed they’d be a game and at times dangerous opponent, with the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and German striker Niclas Füllkrug in the ranks, so any kind of positive result would’ve doubtless been viewed as a success.
However, as the early evening sun turned the view inside the Stadium of Light into a glorious vista and the game ended with an emphatic home victory, surely any pre-match hopes had been surpassed and a patchy pre-season campaign in terms of results felt like ancient history as Régis Le Bris’ new-look side stunned the visitors from East London.
Our performance on Saturday was superb — organised, resilient, wholehearted and thoroughly unified. Every debutant looked good; Ballard and Trai Hume were typically stoic, and Jenson Seelt turned in an encouraging display before exiting with an injury — only for Paraguayan Omar Alderete to enter the fray and look equally promising!
On the wings, Simon Adingra and Chemsdine Talbi applied themselves diligently and although not everything they attempted came off, it was reassuring to see their willingness to get on the ball and play with positive intent, as opposed to taking the easy option or shying away from taking on their man.
The speed of the game during the opening exchanges was frenetic and the Hammers looked decent early on.
However, once we adjusted and started to find our groove, we more than matched their intent, with the midfield trio of Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki and skipper Granit Xhaka looking every inch a Premier League-standard unit — all hustle, bustle, and intelligent use of the ball.
All three goals were of exceptional quality as well.
Mayenda and Ballard powered accurate headers past Mads Hermansen to give us a 2-0 lead, and Isidor’s classy finish — opening up his body and whipping the ball into the far corner following a swift breakaway — was a suitable way to finish. Any concerns about our ability to handle the intensity of this league were unfounded as we looked to have plenty in the tank during the closing stages, and the clean sheet was a rich reward for an outstanding defensive effort.
The perfect start, then, and with games against Burnley and Brentford to come, we’ve got an excellent chance to continue to build early-season momentum, get more valuable points on the board, and continue to show why we belong in this league on merit following the outstanding efforts of the Lads during the playoffs.
Was the wait worth it? You bet it was. Was this a day to remember? Absolutely, and it typified the kind of experience you can often get when watching Sunderland, but that’s often been very rare during a turbulent decade.
As we’ve known all summer, this is a new era at the Stadium of Light and if Le Bris and his team can channel the spirit of displays like this into their upcoming fixtures, maybe we’ll start to lay the foundations for a successful first season back in the top flight.
Be proud, Lads. Be very proud.
Saturday 16 August
Premier League
Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,233
Sunderland: 3 (Mayenda 61’, Ballard 73’, Isidor 90+2’)
West Ham United: 0
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Ballard; Seelt (Alderete 53’), Reinildo, Diarra; Xhaka, Sadiki, Adingra (Le Fée 76’); Mayenda (Isidor 76’), Talbi (Rigg 93’)
Subs Not Used: Patterson, Jones, Neil, Roberts, Guiu
West Ham United: Hermansen, Todibo (Irving 82’), Kilman; Aguerd, Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse (Souček 71’); Rodriguez (Wilson 71’), Diouf, Paquetá; Füllkrug, Bowen
Subs Not Used: Areola, Mavrapanos, Potts, Scarles, Walker-Peters, Álvarez
