Sunderland U18s 1-3 West Ham United U18s
U18 Premier League Cup Group E, Academy of Light Training Ground, Tuesday 26 August 2025, 11am BST
West Ham United U18s began the defence of their Premier League Cup crown in confident fashion, securing a 3-1 victory away at Sunderland thanks to an Andre Dike hat-trick.
After opening their Premier League South campaign with a defeat to Southampton and a draw against newcomers Birmingham City, this fixture carried added weight in terms of building early momentum.
The young Hammers responded in the best possible way, extending their unbeaten run in the competition to seven matches, dating back to their quarter-final exit to Manchester City 18 months ago.
The visitors came flying out of the blocks, with David Chigwada, leading the line, setting the tone, beating his man on the left and lifting a teasing cross towards full-back Connor Brooks, whose looping header was clawed away for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Callum Leacock’s header was hacked off the line as Sunderland scrambled to stay level.
Dike then struck the outside of the post on eleven minutes after latching onto a pinpoint long pass from goalkeeper Finley Hooper, who impressed throughout with his distribution, both long and short.
Moments later, Dike’s persistence brought reward. Having danced past defenders inside the penalty area, he was clipped just as he shaped to shoot. The referee pointed to the spot, and the forward calmly converted to give West Ham a deserved lead.
The winger struck again just eight minutes later. Lewis Beckford picked off a loose pass in Sunderland’s defensive third and showed great awareness to slide the ball across to Dike, who finished with ease into an unguarded net.
Hooper then had to be alert at the other end, tipping over a fierce strike from Matthew Burns on 25 minutes, before Sunderland halved the deficit ten minutes later. George Bell’s clever pass released Lewis Campbell, who kept his composure under pressure from Leacock to slot beyond Hooper.
West Ham should have restored their two-goal cushion before the interval. Substitute Jephthah Medine, on for the injured Chigwada, controlled a clearance and fed Dike inside the box. A scramble ensued, but Joel Kerr could only fire over on his weaker foot.
The hosts emerged with greater purpose after the break and came close to an equaliser when Joseph Nield’s dangerous cross was deflected against his own post by Leacock.
Just moments later at the other end, Dike was denied his hat-trick after Medine cleverly dummied Beckford’s pass to create acres of space in the penalty area, only for the attacker to blaze over. Kerr and Reggie Morris both went close shortly after the hour mark, but the decisive third goal remained elusive.
That changed in the 76th minute. Sunderland worked a neat move that forced Hooper into a sharp save from Alex Lienard, and just when the match threatened to tilt, West Ham delivered the knockout blow.
Chukwuemeka Obi latched onto Joe Scanlon's long throw, hooking a perfect cross towards the back post for Dike to nod home from close range, completing his hat-trick an hour after scoring his second.
Lauris Coggin’s side then managed the final stages confidently, closing out the contest to claim three valuable group-stage points and a winning start to their title defence.
The young Hammers next face Nottingham Forest at home in October in this competition where they must finish top of the group or as the best of the seven second-place teams in order to qualify for the knockout stages for the third season in a row.
Sunderland U18s: Cowan, Bell, Hester, Burns (Lienard 74), Forsyth, Nield ©, Scott, Struk (Matadeen 59), Campbell, Proctor, Dinsdale
Subs not used: Metcalfe (GK), Makepeace, Munyakazi
Booked: Bell, Proctor
Goal: Campbell 35
West Ham United U18s: Hooper, Brooks (Perkins 66), Scanlon, Kamara, Leacock ©, Nwosu (Jonyla), Kerr, Morris, Chigwada (Medine 32), Beckford (Obi 66), Dike
Sub not used: Goodger (GK)
Goals: Dike 13, 20 (pen), 85
Coggin: The whole squad are contributing and working for each other
Having been left frustrated by a late equaliser against Birmingham City last time out, Lauris Coggin's side responded with the ruthlessness in front of goal he had asked for, converting their dominance into three points in their Premier League Cup opener as defending champions.
Coggin said: "This competition is designed to test the players. We want to be dominant in every game that we play and today it was good for the group that we got what we deserved. What pleases me most is that the whole squad are contributing and showing their willingness to work for each other.
"We want to show ambition and the boys hold an appreciation to the record that we have. However, this is a new group and every game is a chance for them make progress in their own way. We look forward to travelling to Leicester on Saturday."
