Sunderland Wins 1-0 Over Middlesbrough

Chris Rigg, a 17-year-old midfielder, secured a 1-0 victory for Sunderland over Middlesbrough with an audacious backheel goal in the 24th minute. The win, which took place in front of nearly 43,000 fans, erased the disappointment of Sunderland's previous defeat at Plymouth and boosted their early-season performance. Despite an early chance for Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway, who hit the crossbar, and a contentious penalty appeal by Sunderland, Rigg's goal remained the decider. Sunderland's head coach, Régis Le Bris, who recently joined from Lorient, has led the team to five wins in their first six league games. The match was tightly contested, with both teams struggling to capitalize on their opportunities, and Rigg's goal was a pivotal moment that shifted the momentum in Sunderland's favor.