Brobbey scores in 90th minute to give Sunderland victory over Newcastle rivals

In a fiercely contested derby important to both teams, tension was evident right from the start. Newcastle displayed stronger attacking intent initially, with Anthony Elanga sending a header over the bar from a Lewis Hall delivery.

After stopping a clearance try by Melker Ellborg, Anthony Gordon capitalised on Luke O’Nien’s intercepted pass courtesy of Nick Woltemade, slotting home calmly for the home side just ten minutes in, possibly atoning for Woltemade’s earlier own goal in the return match.

Mock applause echoed through St James’ Park when Granit Xhaka’s follow up shot sailed high and wide, yet Chemsdine Talbi posed a real threat with a bending strike from distance that Aaron Ramsdale expertly tipped over the bar.

Newcastle kept pushing ahead, as Elanga was set up by Woltemade and created room for a shot, though he ended up hitting the side netting.

Woltemade had a quick reaction effort stopped by Lutsharel Geertruida next, before Sven Botman nodded a Hall cross onto the upright.

The home team faced an early setback in the second period when Botman had to leave after taking a boot to the head from Brian Brobbey, and this was made worse just three minutes later.

Ramsdale pushed Chris Rigg’s effort round the post, and from the corner that followed, Newcastle struggled to clear as Burn stopped Habib Diarra, allowing the loose ball to reach Talbi who fired it in.

Xhaka then unleashed a long range attempt that deflected off Jacob Ramsey and nearly looped into the top corner, while shortly after entering as part of Eddie Howe’s three substitutions, Jacob Murphy tested Ellborg.

Ramsdale had to react again to keep out Noah Sadiki’s drive, and the atmosphere grew intense with Geertruida diverting Harvey Barnes’ shot for a corner at one end, followed by Malick Thiaw denying Brobbey at the opposite.

Thiaw seemed to have scored with a header with fifteen minutes left, but it was disallowed due to offside.

Gordon wasted two further chances by firing over, which paved the way for Sunderland’s late 90th minute decider as Enzo Le Fée picked out Brobbey, whose initial effort was saved before he tucked away the rebound.

This thrilling finish secured Sunderland’s first victory in three games across competitions, lifting the Black Cats one point clear of Newcastle in the Premier League standings, with the Magpies enduring consecutive losses in contrasting yet equally disheartening fashions.