Jermain Defoe scored Sunderland’s first match winner under David Moyes, even if the manager wasn’t in the dugout to see Saturday’s 2-1 win at Bournemouth.
The Black Cats boss had to celebrate from the stands after Victor Anichebe scored and drew the penalty Defoe converted to give Sunderland its first win of the season.
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The Black Cats now have five points, join bottom with Swansea City and five points clear of the drop. Defoe says they’ve been better than results indicate, and that Moyes hadn’t deserved the stick he’s been getting from fans and the media.
From the BBC:
The biggest reason for Sunderland’s win has little do with luck, rather a superior effort to almost anything proffered earlier this season. Perhaps this can be a kickstart for the notoriously slow-starting Black Cats.
Another thing? A lot of that heart came from Anichebe, who scored his first PL goal in 18 months despite a first-half cracked rib that stopped him from “moving properly”.
USMNT winger Lynden Gooch (above, with Defoe) subbed into the game for Defoe late, playing a small role in the win.