- Berahino scores only goal
- West Brom to 12th with 11 points
- Villa remains 18th
Saido Berahino’s controversial second-half goal was enough to lift Tony Pulis’ defense-first Baggies past struggling Sunderland in Sam Allardyce’s debut as manager on Saturday.
The young English striker picked the pocket of a stunned Costel Pantilimon, who failed to handle Berahino’s challenge on a cross, and that was all the scoring West Brom needed in a 1-0 win.
USMNT winger/back DeAndre Yedlin earned the start for Sunderland.
[ MORE: Watch full match replays ]76% - 13 of Saido Berahino’s 17 Premier League goals for WBA since the start of last season have come at the Hawthorns (76%). Poached.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 17, 2015
Allardyce nearly got a dream start twice early on, and was deprived in the 12th minute when Boaz Myhill dove right to slap away another Black Cats chance off a corner kick.
West Brom broke through when Saido Berahino collided with Costel Pantilimon as the Sunderland keeper collected a cross. Pantilimon dropped it, and Berahino back-heeled it away from safety before slotting into the goal.
The play was reviewed, in a sense, but not overturned.
The Black Cats simply have no luck, with better pressure as the game progressed and a late appeal for a penalty turned down when Stephane Sessegnon’s tackle of Fabio Borini in the box was deemed a-okay.
