Wilson Isidor fires Sunderland to top of Championship with victory at Hull

Sunderland climbed back to the top of the Championship standings after Wilson Isidor netted his third goal in four games, securing a tough victory against Hull.

Isidor sprinted away quickly as Sunderland switched from defense to offense. The striker, who is on loan from Zenit St Petersburg, scored by getting the ball past Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur in the 63rd minute.

The turning point of the match sparked debate when Marvin Mehlem appeared to be interfered with by referee Robert Madley, causing him to lose possession of the ball, which resulted in the first goal. Despite Mehlem's claim, since Madley did not make contact with the ball, the game continued. Dan Neil seized the opportunity, gaining possession near Sunderland's penalty area and assisting Isidor in scoring.

Hull felt a strong sense of unfairness after a few calls in the first half did not go their way, but they couldn’t manage to score an equalizer, allowing Sunderland to climb back above Burnley in the standings.

The guests didn’t perform at their best and could have found themselves in trouble when Chris Bedia hit the crossbar in the second half. However, they managed to do just enough on a windy day in East Yorkshire.

Sunderland aimed to be aggressive in their approach but found it difficult to break through as their rivals defended tightly. There was a moment when Dennis Cirkin could have been penalized for pushing Mehlem in the box, depending on the referee’s interpretation.

Isidor was the sole player to register a shot on goal in the first half, but it ended up being a misplayed effort that rolled easily to Pandur. Nevertheless, Sunderland kept pressing forward, with Cirkin's shot taking a deflection and going over the bar.

When Hull attacked, their uncertainty in the crucial area cost them. Abu Kamara missed the chance to pass to Mohamed Belloumi, who was in a good position, and Bedia chose to shift to his left instead of taking a shot. Jobe Bellingham nearly caught the goalkeeper off guard with a long-range shot that narrowly missed the right post. Meanwhile, Hull's appeals for a handball by Chris Mepham just outside the box went unheard.

As the first half came to an end, boos filled the air in response to a decision that went against Hull. However, shortly after the game restarted, the home fans had reason to celebrate when Belloumi took a powerful shot from outside the box, just missing the top corner by a hair.

Hull maintained their strong opening to the half as the energetic Kamara surged ahead. His pass took a deflection to Bedia, who found some room in the box before smashing a left-footed shot that hit the crossbar.

In an unexpected turn of events, Sunderland scored first during a quick counterattack. Neil stole the ball from Mehlem and passed it to Isidor, who sprinted ahead, brushed aside the last defender Cody Drameh, and gently chipped the ball over Pandur into the net. This goal was allowed despite the protests from Hull, leading to yellow cards for defender Alfie Jones and coach Julian Hübner for their objections.

With just 15 minutes remaining, Isidor was substituted, making way for Aaron Connolly, who was making his debut for Sunderland against his old team. Unfortunately, he didn't manage to make a significant contribution. Hull City, who failed to register a single shot on target, struggled to find their rhythm after conceding a goal. As the match ended, the sound of boos filled the stadium, with the officials facing the loudest criticism as they walked off the field.