Plymouth Argyle 2-0 Sunderland: Pilgrims clinch first win in a month
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Finn Azaz's second goal in three matches settled the game for the Pilgrims shortly before half-time
Plymouth Argyle won for the first time in a month as they ended Sunderland's recent good run of form with a 2-0 victory in the Championship.
Morgan Whittaker's excellent strike gave the hosts the lead having held out after a number of early chances for Sunderland before Finn Azaz finished well to double the lead.
Jobe Bellingham struck a Plymouth post shortly before half-time and Trai Hume also headed against the woodwork just after the restart as Sunderland started the second period well.
Bali Mumba had two good chances to add to Argyle's tally as the Pilgrims claimed their fifth league win of the season.
The victory consolidates 19th place for the hosts while Sunderland drop out of the play-off places.
Argyle came into the game having won just once since the end of September against a Sunderland side that had taken seven points from their past three games.
It looked as though it would go with form as the Black Cats dominated early on - Nazariy Rusyn had two good chances while Luke O'Nien also went close.
But top scorer Whittaker took his tally to eight for the season in spectacular style as he cut in from the right and unleashed an unstoppable 25-yard effort into the top corner.
Azaz calmly curled into the bottom corner for the second after a good pass from Luke Cundle before Bellingham struck the upright.
As in the first half Sunderland started the second period well as Hume's glancing header hit an upright before Adil Aouchiche curled a shot wide and Michael Cooper saved a good effort from Jack Clarke.
Whittaker almost set up a third when he played in Mumba who fired just wide of the post with 15 minutes left, before the former Sunderland youngster curled just over the bar seven minutes later after good work by Adam Randell.
Sunderland nearly scored a consolation goal deep into stoppage time, but keeper Cooper brilliantly tipped Dan Ballard's header over the bar.
Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Devon:
"I think it was a really good game - a lot of talent on the pitch, some incredibly gifted young players, and thankfully two of ours have produced the two moments of quality that have won the game.
"Sunderland were in the top six coming into this game, brilliant form, and they showed how good a side they are.
"They put us under loads of pressure, especially early in the game, and then pretty much throughout the whole of the second half.
"We deserve a load of credit for keeping the door shut and managing to keep a clean sheet against one of the top scorers in the division, so it's a brilliant three points."
Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"Two out-of-the-blue strikes, really goals that we've scored ourselves, their wide players coming in on the opposite foot and bending it into the far corner.
"I'm not sure how many shots we had, well into the twenties I'd imagine, and we must have had 15 or 20 corners, but we have to keep working on it.
"It's OK me saying we've got young strikers - they have to keep working on it, they have to find the confidence.
"It's a bit frustrating because we seemed to be the dominant team today. We came here and did what we would have expected, but we have to score goals - we have to put the ball in the opposition's net."
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