Chemsdine Talbi proved to be the match‑winner as Sunderland edged Hull United 1‑0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The encounter at the Stadium of Light was relatively subdued, with both Premier League sides struggling to create clear-cut chances for much of the game.
It was only in the 71st minute that Talbi's deft chipped finish broke the deadlock, securing Sunderland’s progression to the fourth round, which is scheduled for the end of October. Regis Le Bris opted for a massive overhaul, making eleven changes to the lineup that had drawn 1‑1 with Brentford the previous weekend.
Among the newcomers were Dayann Methalie and Jules Ahoka, who both earned their first senior appearances, while Malick Fofana made his first start after coming off the bench in the Brentford game. On the opposite bench, Hull’s manager Sergej Jakirovic also reshuffled his squad, introducing eight fresh faces after a goalless draw with Aston Villa.
New faces for the Tigers included Mohamed‑Ali Cho, Sorba Thomas and Robinio Vaz, each receiving their debut in this cup tie. The match kicked off with Sunderland pressing early. Goalkeeper Dillon Phillips was called into action almost immediately, leaping to tip Jocelin Ta Bi’s cross over the bar.
Shortly after, Phillips produced a solid save to deny Ahoka’s early header, signalling Sunderland’s intent to attack from the outset. Hull responded with a series of corners, but the half progressed in a quiet fashion as both sides found it difficult to breach the opposing goalkeeper’s domain.
Sunderland’s first real threat came when the ball found teenage midfielder Chris Rigg, who threaded a pass to winger Jocelin Ta Bi. The winger, however, mis‑hit his effort, sending it wide of the target.
Talbi then made a darting run into the box, forcing Phillips into a low‑block save before Ahoka unleashed a long‑range strike that sailed over the crossbar. Just before the interval, Hull’s Robinio Vaz attempted a tight‑angle shot, which was comfortably collected by Sunderland’s keeper Melker Ellborg. The second half began with Sunderland again testing Hull’s defense. Wilson Isidor’s looping header struck the underside of the net’s roof, while Rigg curled a free‑kick that drifted harmlessly wide.
Hull made a triple substitution in the 59th minute, hoping to inject fresh energy. Their effort paid off briefly when Thomas’s free‑kick was parried by Ellborg, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. The decisive moment arrived with roughly 19 minutes remaining. Hull delivered a corner, and Sunderland’s substitute Thomas Meunier flicked the ball across the six‑yard box toward Talbi.
The Algerian‑born forward surged forward, evading the Hull backline before delicately chipping the ball over Phillips. The ball dipped into the bottom corner, leaving the goalkeeper stranded and sending the Sunderland supporters into rapturous celebration. Sunderland attempted to extend their lead, with Isidor firing a shot that missed the target and Timur Tutierov blasting over from a free‑kick.
Hull, desperate for an equaliser, pressed forward in the dying minutes. Former Black Cat loanee Joe Gelhardt struck a close‑range effort that clanged off the post, while Cho’s header from a corner went wide.
Despite the frantic finish, Sunderland held firm and saw out the match. After the final whistle, Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris praised his side’s performance: "It’s really positive. We know this window can talk and we can have different conversations about the future. Now it’s done, it’s really clear.
I was also interested by this new position because I feel Talbi can play off the left and play off the right. He showed in the past he can be a good winger but also just under the striker. He has this space and this ability to exploit big spaces.
Even after 50 or 60 minutes he stayed composed to finish. He had this first chance just at the end of first half and the second one was fantastic.
With 11 changes it’s clear that it’s not easy to find the references. We trained together but the reality is always the competition. The beginning of the second half was much better, we imposed our intensity and we scored, which was important. After that, the last part of the game they pushed a bit, but we stayed solid." Hull’s boss Sergej Jakirovic reflected on the narrow defeat: "I think we played a 50‑50 game today.
We had some good actions, Sunderland also had some good actions. Maybe this goal we conceded we had to be better organised.
Long ball, but great finishing in the end. Maybe we had the best chance in the game tonight through Gelhardt, so maybe we feel we can score that. Unfortunately we didn’t and congratulations to Sunderland." The victory propels Sunderland into the next round of the Carabao Cup, where they will look to build on this hard‑earned success and continue their cup run.
Meanwhile, Hull will regroup and assess the performance of their numerous debutants as they aim to bounce back in league fixtures.