Hull secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, earning their first win of the year and climbing into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.
Fabio Carvalho scored the decisive goal in the second half, volleying home from the edge of the area with 19 minutes remaining. The shot took a deflection off Trai Hume, contributing to Sunderland’s defeat.
Sunderland’s head coach, Michael Beale, faced jeers from the home supporters in the closing stages, with the team experiencing three consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Despite restoring striker Nazariy Rusyn to the starting lineup, Sunderland struggled to create chances against a well-organized Hull side.
Hull’s right-back, Lewis Coyle, was a notable threat with overlapping runs down the right, and he almost broke the deadlock in the first half. However, the game remained scrappy, with Hull picking up five yellow cards and both teams struggling to generate a rhythm.
Sunderland had a chance on the hour mark when Trai Hume’s long-range effort was tipped over the crossbar by Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.
The decisive goal for Hull came in the 71st minute, with Carvalho’s first-time volley deflecting off Hume’s head and beating Sunderland’s goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
The victory for Hull elevated them into the play-off places in the Championship, while Sunderland faced disappointment with their third consecutive defeat under Michael Beale.