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West Ham United claimed a crucial 3–1 Premier League victory over Sunderland at the London Stadium on Saturday, easing relegation pressure with a dominant first-half performance that ultimately proved decisive.
The hosts took control early through Crysencio Summerville, who opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a close-range header after meeting Jarrod Bowen’s driven cross from the right.
West Ham doubled their lead midway through the first half when Bowen converted from the penalty spot.
In a match reported by ESPN, the spot-kick was awarded after Trai Hume fouled young defender Ollie Scarles inside the area, and Bowen showed composure to send the goalkeeper the wrong way in the 28th minute.
The home side wrapped up a commanding first half just before the interval through Matheus Fernandes, who curled a superb long-range effort into the top corner from outside the box, leaving Sunderland facing a steep uphill task at halftime.
Sunderland emerged with greater purpose after the break and were rewarded in the 62nd minute when striker Brian Brobbey powered home a header from a well-delivered cross, reducing the deficit to 3–1 and briefly reigniting hope for the visitors.
The goal sparked Sunderland’s best spell of the match, with captain Luke O’Nien striking the crossbar moments later as the visitors pressed for a second goal.
As the match wore on, West Ham slowed the tempo through controlled possession and timely substitutions, preventing Sunderland from building sustained momentum despite their improved second-half display.
The victory lifted West Ham further away from the relegation zone and offered encouragement after a difficult run of results, with Bowen and Fernandes central to a performance full of urgency and intent.
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Contributed by Emmanuel Lungu
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