Match Report | Sunderland 2-4 West Ham United U21s
Academy

Highlights & Report | U21s claim deserved victory away at Sunderland

Sunderland U21s 2-4 West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Eppleton Colliery Training Ground, Friday 29 August 2025, 7pm BST

 

West Ham United U21s stormed to their first Premier League 2 win of the season with a commanding 4-2 victory over Sunderland at the Eppleton Colliery Football Ground.

Goals from Mohamadou Kanté, Emeka Adiele and a brace from Josh Landers on his full debut for the U21s secured a deserved victory on the road for Mark Robson’s men.

The young Hammers made a blistering start in the North East, racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening quarter of an hour. Kanté opened the scoring on eight minutes, calmly slotting home his third goal in four games after Emeka Adiele won possession high up the pitch and picked out the French midfielder.

Just eight minutes later, the provider turned scorer. Sunderland gifted possession in their own area, and Adiele was on hand to fire beyond Isaac Allen and double the lead.

West Ham’s sharp pressing and confidence on the ball looked set to put the game out of sight early on, but the hosts found a way back before the interval. Ethan Moore broke down the right and squared for Timur Tutierov, who finished clinically to halve the deficit.

Undeterred, West Ham carried their attacking threat into the second half and went close through Adiele, who rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike after dancing past three Sundeland defenders. That warning soon turned into another breakthrough, with Adiele again at the heart of the move. His clever cross to the back post was met by Josh Landers, who nodded in his first goal at U21 level to restore the two-goal cushion.

Landers’ confidence only grew from there, and the forward doubled his tally 15 minutes from time. A superb through ball from Preston Fearon released Ezra Mayers, who had broken forward from centre-half. His perfect low delivery was tucked away by Landers to make it 4-1. The Hammers had chances to extend their advantage further, with substitute Jethro Medine also striking the crossbar late on.

There was late drama as Sunderland were awarded a penalty when from a corner, the ball struck Rayan Oyebade, who despite having his arms by his side, was deemed to have committed a red card offence on the goal line. In the ensuing chaos however, the referee mistakenly sent off Fearon.

Tutierov then converted from the spot to notch his second of the evening, but the ten-man Hammers held on comfortably in stoppage time to see out a deserved victory.

 

Sunderland U21s: Allan, Je. Jones, Lett (Lightfoot 70), Burke (Proctor 70), Holcroft (Neild 82), Kindon, Moore (Scott HT), Middlemas ©, Whittaker, Ja. Jones, Tutierov
Sub not used: Metcalf (GK)

Booked: Holcroft, Je. Jones, Burke

Goals: Tutierov 34, (PEN) 90+2

 

West Ham United U21s: Herrick, Briggs (Oyebade 86), Golambeckis ©, Mayers, Robinson (Medine 80), Kanté, Fearon, Clayton (Caliste 80), Battrum (Sowunmi 86), Adiele, Landers
Sub not used: Hooper (GK)

Booked: Clayton, Robinson, Battrum

Sent off: Fearon

Goals: Kanté 8, Adiele 16, Landers 58, 76

Sunderland U21s v West Ham United U21s Premier League 2 2025/26

Robson: The whole group played their part

After finding the net once in their opening two league fixtures, our U21s showed a much more ruthless edge in front of goal against Sunderland, with lead coach Mark Robson delighted to see the whole squad play their part.

“Even at half-time, when we were 2-1 up, we felt we were only one good pass away from opening them up properly,” he said. “In the second half, the boys raised their quality in that final third and got their rewards. We created more chances than we had in previous games, and it was pleasing to see us be that bit more clinical.

“The ball from Emeka [Adiele] for Josh’s [Landers] header was excellent, and the move for his second, with Ezra [Mayers] getting forward and rolling it across the face of goal, is exactly the type of finish we’ve been talking about. Josh took his goals really well and his overall game, especially his build-up play, was good too. There’s still stuff we can work on, but I was delighted for him tonight.

“Fin Herrick was top again. He’s been outstanding for us over the last couple of seasons and has worked really hard with Billy Lepine [Head of Academy Goalkeeping], Steve [Potts] and Gerard [Prenderville]. We’re really pleased with his development, and he’s at the point now where the next challenge, hopefully a loan, will be important for him.

“It was disappointing to go down to ten men in what was a farcical decision. His hands were by his side, it was never a penalty, and the referee even sent off the wrong player. There’s a massive size difference between Preston [Fearon] and Rayan [Oyebade].

"The lads who came on after though had a real go. Jethro [Medine] showed his pace, made a great run and was unlucky to hit the crossbar. It was really positive to see the whole group contributing and everyone playing their part.

“Sunderland are always a strong side and Graeme [Murty] has them playing really good football, but I thought the boys were excellent. It was a deserved result, and on another night we could have had a few more.”

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