Final score - Sunderland 1-2 West Ham United
The Hammers have ended 401 days without an away win with a stirring performance and a victory over a full-strength Sunderland side. Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna both scored their first goals for the club, while Marek Stech was a tower of strength in goal. In truth, though, there were fine performances and heart shown all over the field. Don't forget, there are still tickets remaining for Saturday's home Barclays Premier League game with Tottenham Hotspur. Click here to order your seat now.
93 mins - Less than 60 seconds to go. Noble finds Boa Morte who plays the ball to Cole. The striker holds off his defender and has a great chance to wrap it up, but Mignolet saves with his legs. Sunderland pump the ball forward again twice, but West Ham clear and IT'S ALL OVER!!!
92 mins - Into the second minute of added time and Cole gives away a free-kick inside the Sunderland penalty area. Mignolet hacks it upfield, but West Ham get a head on the ball and clear. Sunderland come forward again, but this time it's Noble who is there to volley the ball away.
91 mins - We're going to have at least three more minutes... Noble is coming on for Barrera before West Ham take a throw wide on the right.
90 mins - We're into the final minute of the 90... The ball is lofted into the box and looks to have fallen to Riveros, but a combination of Tomkins and Ben Haim work hard and the ball is hacked clear.
88 mins - Mark Noble is going to come on at the next break in play, whenever that is. Sunderland are pushing men forward for fun, but Stech does superbly again to dive bravely at the feet of Welbeck and claim as the forward broke into the box.
86 mins - Dyer bursts forward again, but he loses control just as he enters the Sunderland penalty area. He looked in two minds whether to shoot or try to pick out Cole at the far post.
85 mins - It's all getting a bit frantic here as Sunderland pile bodies forward in the search for an equaliser. Dyer looks to be through on goal if Cole can find him, but again Onuoha is in the right place to block the pass.
84 mins - Good work Marek Stech. Malbranque has lots of space at the near post to shoot on goal, but the keeper stays big and blocks the shot with his body.
83 mins - Good from West Ham. Faubert throws the ball to Cole's feet, he crosses towards Dyer, who forces Da Silva to concede a corner. Tomkins wins Barrera's delivery but it glances wide towards the far corner flag. Boa Morte retrieves it, but wastefully slams the ball behind the goal.
81 mins - A real chance for Sunderland as Bardsley plays two one-twos with team-mates before thankfully dragging a shot a couple of yards wide with his unfavoured left foot. That was a bit of a let-off, and a warning for West Ham not to sit off and defend too deep.
80 mins - Ben Haim clears and Dyer swaps passes with Cole before trying to run around Onuoha. The big defender is having none of it and holds off the substitute before clearing.
79 mins - Well played Frederic Piquionne. A first goal for the club and a very encouraging all-round display. He applauds the travelling fans as he walks off and is replaced by England's Carlton Cole.
78 mins - Piquionne is holding the ball up superbly time after time, but his race might nearly be run here as Cole strips off in the technical area.
75 mins - The away fans are really singing their hearts out away to my left. It's been one year, one month and six days since they last saw their team win away from home. Will tonight be the night? A third goal would certainly be a massive help! Parker tries to pick out Dyer with a long pass, but the midfielder cannot control.
72 mins - After a bit of trouble with the electronic board, Obinna goes off and is replaced by Dyer. The former Newcastle United man gets a warm reception from the Sunderland fans.
71 mins - Sunderland make a second change - Henderson is off and Zenden is on.
70 mins - Ooooh! Sunderland have the ball inside the West Ham box with Welbeck and Bent, but Tomkins gets across superbly and clears. The ball strikes Faubert in the head and it bounces into the arms of Stech. Nice bit of good fortune.
69 mins - Barrera shows amazing close control to bring down a high clearance before finding Piquionne. The Frenchman shows his experience by holding the ball up and winning a corner off Da Silva. Obinna takes the corner and finds the head of Tomkins, but his delivery is a tad high and the No5 can only send his header high and wide of the far post.
68 mins - Sunderland have a free-kick wide on the right about 25 yards from goal. Henderson whips it in but Stech again shows safe hands to catch in front of his face.
65 mins - Another shooting chance, and again it's Henderson cutting inside from the left flank before working Stech with a head-high drive that the goalkeeper holds safely.
64 mins - Obinna is a proper entertainer, controlling on his head before spinning and sending a wild shot wide of the target from 30 yards. The away fans respond with a chorus of 'Bubbles'.
63 mins - Chance for Sunderland again. West Ham have about three chances to clear the ball before it falls into the path of Henderson, who blazes over from the edge of the penalty area.
60 mins - Sunderland make their first change, replacing Gyan with Steed Malbranque.
59 mins - GOAL! Obinna becomes the second Hammer to open his account for the club tonight. It is another fantastic goal. Parker takes a free-kick short to Kovac before making a superb overlapping run when the ball finds Barrera. The No8 plays a one-two with the Mexican, who cuts the ball back into the path of Obinna, and the Nigerian tucks the ball inside the far post with a superb first-time shot.
57 mins - Kovac finds Barrera wide on the right. He runs at Richardson and wins a corner. Obinna crosses and the ball is cleared to Boa Morte. He crosses and Da Silva heads clear bravely under pressure from Piquionne and his own goalkeeper.
55 mins - Piquionne and Obinna play a couple of one-twos before Piquionne tries to play in the Nigerian, only for Onuoha to stick out his right foot and block the through ball. Good build-up play, though, from the two forwards.
54 mins - Ben Haim, Boa Morte and Da Costa combine to clear the ball to Obinna, who is fouled. West Ham keep possession from the free-kick and Piquionne gets away down the left. He crosses and the ball flicks off a head to Barrera. He tries a trick before lifting the ball on to the roof of the net. Bit of a waste, that.
52 mins - Again! Kovac mis-controls a pass and gives away a free-kick. A long ball lands at the feet of Bent, but Tomkins just gets back to toe the ball away.
50 mins - West Ham create problems for themselves again. Da Costa loses possession needlessly and Sunderland break down the right flank. Bardsley gets in behind and pulls the ball back for Gyan, who flashes a first-time shot over the top from 16 yards.
49 mins - Sunderland have taken the upper hand in the last couple of minutes, but they can't create anything for the moment.
46 mins - 58 seconds into the second period and West Ham come within a yard of re-taking the lead. Barrera beats Richardson on his inside and swaps passes with Piquionne before seeing his left-foot shot hit Onuoha and spin just past the post. Mignolet was beaten, there. The corner is deep from Obinna, but comes to nothing.
46 mins - And we're off and running again...
Richardson leads Sunderland out first after the break. The West Ham substitutes were out warming-up during the interval, but I don't expect Avram Grant to make any changes just yet. Sunderland will get us back underway...
Half-time score - Sunderland 1-1 West Ham United
46 mins - We are into a minimum of one minute of added time and Bent wins a corner off Tomkins. West Ham must mark better this time... Henderson takes the corner... Gyan wins it but it hits Tomkins on the back and rebounds to safety. Referee Webb blows for half-time...
44 mins - Another dangerous ball in is headed clear at the near post by Henderson.
43 mins - Obinna receives the ball wide right and wins a free-kick. A chance for West Ham to re-group. Obinna takes the free-kick himself, lofting the ball into the Sunderland penalty area, where Onuoha clears for a throw. Boa Morte holds the ball up and is fouled wide on the left. Obinna to take again...
41 mins - GOAL! That is ridiculous, but how often does it happen in football. The corner is curled into the near post, where Gyan meets it with a powerful header that gives Stech absolutely no chance.
41 mins - Before the corner is taken, the injured Ferdinand is replaced by Paraguayan FIFA World Cup defender Paulo da Silva. He is applauded off by both sets of fans.
40 mins - West Ham need to score again while they are playing like this. This is top-class. Out of nowhere, though, Sunderland win a corner.
38 mins - More good stuff from Obinna, who holds the ball up superbly inside the Sunderland box before finding Barrera, who works Mignolet with a first-time shot that the goalkeeper clutches diving to his left.
37 mins - That would have been the Goal of the Season if it had gone in. West Ham ping the ball around in midfield, with Boa Morte, Parker and Kovac exchanging a series of passes before the No8 drives clear and at the Sunderland back four. He swaps passes with Barrera before forcing Mignolet to claw the ball aside with a sliding left-foot shot.
35 mins - GOAL! Brilliant goal from West Ham. Ben Haim wins the ball on the edge of his own penalty area. The ball is worked out to Obinna, who spins his marker and plays an outstanding ball to Piquionne. The Frenchman springs the offside trap, rounds Mignolet and rolls the ball into the net from six yards. At the other end of the stadium, the away fans go mental - and who can blame them!
34 mins - Sunderland work the ball down the left before Welbeck makes a yard for himself by cutting inside Faubert, but his cross-shot is straight into the hands of Stech.
33 mins - The travelling fans have been heartened by those chances and are now giving a rendition of 'We are West Ham's claret and blue army'. Good stuff.
31 mins - We've got a short break in play here as Faubert receives some treatment. Grant sends McCarthy, Spector and Cole out for a trot along the touchline. After a short interlude, Faubert is back in the action.
30 mins - Ooooh! So close for both Obinna and Piquionne. The No33 shows great skill to cut inside his marker before working Mignolet with a powerful low shot that the goalkeeper can only push to the edge of the box. Piquionne controls and tries to work an angle, but by the time he can get a shot away, the goalkeeper has recovered and grasps his low effort. That's the best shooting chance of the game for either team though.
29 mins - Piquionne jumps up in frustration as Obinna fails to spot his run before passing the ball out of play. Sunderland nearly benefit as they break into the West Ham box, but Riveros cannot keep his shot down.
27 mins - Boa Morte shows some typical tenacity to rob the ball from Onuoha deep inside the Sunderland half. Just when it looks as if the Portuguese midfielder is going to have a clear run on goal, Webb blows for a free-kick. Hmmm... Parker controls the clearance well and finds Obinna, but his through ball for Barrera is too strong and Mignolet dives on the ball.
23 mins - Sunderland are really upping the pressure here. Bardsley's shot is blocked by Parker but the ball ricochets to Elmohamady, who beats Boa Morte and crosses to the far post. Faubert flicks the ball behind. From the resulting corner, Onuoha powers a header a yard over from close-range. He wants a penalty, but referee Howard Webb gives nothing.
21 mins - Another shot across West Ham's bows - this time from former Hammers Academy schoolboy Richardson, who hits Welbeck's lay-off first time but well wide of the far post.
20 mins - Boa Morte heads the ball back for Ben Haim, who finds Obinna. The forward tries to curl the ball into the path of Piquionne, but Ferdinand gets his head in the way and diverts it through to Mignolet.
18 mins - Gyan flicks the ball into the path of Bent, who shoots low but too close to Stech. Good handling from the Czech Republic Under-21 goalkeeper.
16 mins - Sunderland almost benefit from a mix-up on the edge of the West Ham box. Stech comes to claim a bouncing ball, but Faubert instead nips in and heads the ball into the air before controlling and smashing the ball upfield. The Hammers need to regain some possession and composure here.
15 mins - Ferdinand fouls Obinna about 35 yards out, but it nearly leads to a Sunderland goal. Bent has absolutely acres of space in behind Ben Haim and has just to find Gyan to surely open the scoring, but his pass is too far in front of the Ghanaian. Gyan had the whole penalty area to himself. That was very fortunate.
14 mins - Sunderland keep up the pressure and work the ball into the box, where Parker is in the right to block a powerful shot from Welbeck. Moments later, a high ball into the box is claimed by Stech high above his head.
13 mins - Sunderland finally show some attacking intent as the ball is worked across the pitch to Elmohamdy. The Egyptian's cross is too strong, though.
12 mins - Obinna loves a shot, doesn't he. This time he combines with Barrera, but drags wide from 20 yards or so.
11 mins - Champagne football at the back gets the Hammers out of tight situation. Parker, Faubert and Da Costa ping the ball about before Faubert brings it clear. Nice stuff there. The home fans are already getting a bit restless. The 600-odd travelling supporters are making all the noise behind the goal to my right. Fantastic commitment from them, to a man.
10 mins - Another attack, another shot, but unfortunately another effort that does not trouble Mignolet. Faubert cuts inside and finds Obinna, but his left-foot shot is wayward and flies into the fans behind the goal.
9 mins - West Ham come forward again and Piquionne picks up the ball 35 yards out. He runs at Onuoha before letting fly from 25 yards. Unfortunately, it flies high and wide of the target. Still, these are encouraging and positive signs from Avram Grant's side.
8 mins - The visitors have settled quite well here, keeping possession well and not allowing Sunderland a moment to settle on the ball. Aside from a couple of speculative crosses, Sunderland have offered nothing.
7 mins - Obinna spins well and sends Faubert clear down the right. He tries to find Piquionne in the middle, but the ball is too close to Mignolet and the goalkeeper claims in front of his face.
6 mins - The Hammers have made a positive start here. Barrera uses his pace to get the wrong side of the Black Cats defence, but Richardson slides in and the chance is gone.
4 mins - Parker wins the ball deep inside the Sunderland half before laying off to Obinna. The Nigerian takes a touch before shooting from more than 25 yards out. He slices his shot horribly and it nearly goes out for a throw. Apologies for the lack of build up, but the wireless here at the Stadium of Light is a bit unreliable...
2 mins - West Ham win a corner through Faubert after 75 seconds. Obinna trots across and whips the ball in, but Mignolet grabs hold of the ball at the second attempt. Sunderland try to break but Faubert is there again to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick.
7.45pm - West Ham are going to kick-off... And we're off and running courtesy of Obinna.
7.40pm - Good evening. Both teams have returned to their dressing rooms for their final instructions from Avram Grant and Steve Bruce. West Ham are seeking their first away win in 23 attempts - a run dating back to 15 August 2009 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, the Hammers have done well on each of their last two visits to Wearside, winning 1-0 here in 2008/09 and drawing 3-3 last term.Good evening and welcome to the Stadium of Light for tonight's Carling Cup third-round tie between Sunderland and West Ham United.
Hammers manager Avram Grant returns after missing Saturday's Barclays Premier League draw at Stoke City to honour the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur - as does defender Tal Ben Haim.
Grant makes seven changes to the team that drew 1-1 at the Britannia Stadium - two of them enforced as right-back Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied and Valon Behrami is injured.
Marek Stech, Julien Faubert, James Tomkins, Ben Haim, Pablo Barrera, Radoslav Kovac and Luis Boa Morte all start, while Robert Green, Jacobsen, Matthew Upson, Danny Gabbidon, Mark Noble, Behrami and Carlton Cole miss out. Noble and Cole are named among the substitutes.
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First-year professional Jordan Brown is in the matchday 18 for the first time in his career. The left-back was the youth team captain last season and is the cousin of Sunderland captain Kieran Richardson. The Essex-born defender, who turns 19 next month, has been handed squad No44.
Sunderland: MIgnolet, Bardsley, Richardson, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Elmomady, Riveros, Henderson (Zenden 71), Bent, Welbeck, Gyan (Malbranque 60)
Subs: Carson, Colback, Da Silva, Angeleri, Reid
West Ham United: Stech, Faubert, Tomkins, Da Costa, Ben Haim, Barrera (Noble 90), Kovac, Parker, Boa Morte, Obinna (Dyer 72), Piquionne (Cole 79)
Subs: Boffin, Brown, Spector, McCarthy