Jack Clarke netted a last-minute winner against his old club as the Gary O’Neil era got off to a winning start as the Blues defeated Sunderland 2-1 at Portman Road. Emersonn’s debut goal gave Town the lead on 24 but Nilson Angulo levelled via a free-kick in the 39th minute, before Clarke’s late show secured three points for the Blues on their return to the Premier League.

Town handed six players debuts and Julio Enciso his second debut. Keeper Kjell Scherpen made his debut, becoming the tallest player in Premier League history, while skipper Dara O’Shea was at right-back and Leif Davis at left-back. Issa Diop, also making his debut, was the right-sided centre-half alongside Jacob Greaves.

In midfield, Sasa Lukic was the third debutant alongside Marcelino Nunez with Florentino Luis absent, as he was for the final friendly at Union Berlin a week ago.

Abdul Fatawu made his debut wide on the right, Daizen Maeda was another debutant on the left with Enciso, who returned to the club earlier in the week having been on loan in the second half of 2024/25, the number 10. Emersonn was the sixth debutant as the number nine.

Christian Walton was the sub keeper alongside Darnell Furlong, Cedric Kipre, Sindre Walle Egeli, Kasey McAteer, Chuba Akpom, Cameron Humphreys, new addition Abdoul Ouattara and ex-Black Cats wideman Jack Clarke.

Jaden Philogene was absent from the bench, which was probably no surprise with the second 45 minutes at Union Berlin the winger’s only involvement in pre-season following a hamstring issue.

Sunderland handed summer signing Thomas Meunier his debut at right-back, the former Lille man having been a doubt coming into the match due to a back issue. That saw Trai Hume pushed forwards down the right flank.

The teams took to the pitch to a noisy welcome from both the new Portman Road PA and home crowd with Edward Ebenezer blasted sung louder than ever ahead of kick-off.

Sunderland created the first opportunity of the game in the fourth minute, Dutch international striker Brian Brobbey sent through on goal by Hume but Davis, a boyhood Newcastle fan, chased back to superbly slide in and block.

Following the corner, there was a minor scare for debutant Scherpen, whose studs got caught in the turf on the edge of his own six-yard box but the Dutchman was able to stab out to O’Shea to his right.

Town put together a passage of play for the first time in the seventh minute, Enciso hitting a defender with an ambitious shot before O’Shea looped the ball to the edge of the box for Emersonn, who headed tamely towards Robin Roefs in the Black Cats’ goal, the keeper, yet another Dutchman, making a meal of keeping it out and preventing a corner.

On nine, Angulo escaped down the left but Davis again did well to get back to head his cross away from danger.

In the 23rd minute, the Wearsiders worked their way into the area, Davis once more thwarting Brobbey by getting round the back of him and stabbing towards Scherpen, the striker subsequently tripping Greaves.

A minute later, the Blues took the lead. Enciso intercepted Luke O’Nien’s poor pass on halfway and broke forward at pace, skipping past Dan Ballard to the central defender’s left, before unselfishly cutting back to Emersonn, who turned his first goal for the club and in English football into the net as he stumbled, sending Portman Road into raptures.

Two minutes after the goal, Enciso was upended by Ballard on the halfway line. The free-kick was sent deep for O’Shea, who nodded back towards Emersonn, but the Brazilian’s looping header failed to trouble Roefs.

Sunderland went very close to a leveller in the 29th minute, Noah Sadiki getting ahead of Diop at the near post to flick a header low down to Scherpen’s left, but the man-mountain keeper reacted very quickly to palm it wide.

Following a corner which flashed across the Town box, the Blues were next to threaten in the 32nd minute. Emersonn’s clever dummy saw him reach the byline on the left and cut back to Enciso, but his first-time effort flew deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

On 36, Ballard was shown the game’s first yellow card for his third foul on Enciso, referee Farai Hallam issuing the caution after allowing play to continue having already warned the central defender after a previous infraction.

Two minutes Sadiki got down the left, his ball across finding Meunier, whose shot from just outside the area was blocked by Maeda.

And in the 39th minute, the visitors equalised. Diop clumsily fouled Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka just outside the area to the left and Angulo curled the ball over the wall, off the underside of the bar and over the line. Scherpen will feel he probably should have got to it.

Three minutes later, Lukic almost found Fatawu breaking towards the area in space on the right, however, Reinildo Mandava stuck out a foot to intercept.

But Enciso continued to be Town’s main danger man, breaking into the area on the left on 44 after good work from Davis but the Paraguayan’s cross was blocked and Fatawu was dispossessed on the edge of the box as he looked to turn.

That was the last action of an entertaining and balanced half with the 1-1 scoreline a fair reflection.

Sunderland made the early running but without creating much other than Brobbey’s one-on-one when Davis did very well to get back to dispossess him, with the Blues gradually gaining belief.

The goal was down to Enciso’s sharpness in winning the ball, pace and trickery in bringing it forward and then his awareness and unselfishness to cut back to Emersonn, who was able to turn it in despite stumbling.

However, the Black Cats had continued to look dangerous, particularly down their left flank, and had created a couple of openings prior to Angulo’s free-kick, which was well placed, if not right in the corner and Scherpen will feel he ought to have got to it.

But overall, a promising half from Town against the side which finished seventh in the Premier League last season.

Five minutes after the restart, the Blues created the first chance of the second half. Fatawu got round the outside of his man on the right and clipped a cross which scuffed off the top of Maeda’s head and away.

On 51, Enciso almost scored what would have been a goal of the season contender hooking a cross from the right towards the corner of the net with his back to goal and only just missing the far post.

There was a scare for Town two minutes later, a Reinildo cross from the left finding Brobbey with his back to goal. The striker worked himself space but Nunez blocked his shot, then the Chilean cleared Hume’s cross back in. On 55, Angulo was booked for stopping a free-kick being taken quickly.

The Blues were next to threaten in an end-to-end and all-action start to the second half. Enciso once again skipped past defenders on the right and crossed for Emersonn, but too high for the Brazilian to control his header. It reached Enciso again but the former Strasbourg and Brighton man was offside as he sought to find Maeda breaking at the left post.

Sunderland made their first change of the game on 59, Chemsdine Talbi replacing goalscorer Angulo, who had been his side’s main danger in the first half.

In the 63rd minute O’Nien got in a mess just outside the Sunderland area on the left, losing out to Enciso again and hauling the Paraguayan back and picking up a booking.

From the free-kick, the ball reached Fatawu on the right of the box, the Ghanaian leaving two defenders standing with a brilliant trick and cutting inside before the ball was turned behind. From the corner, the ball was poorly punched by Roefs to Nunez, who volleyed straight up in the air, Diop battling to keep it in play at the far post before the officials decided it had gone behind.

Town made their first two changes on 67, Fatawu and debutant goalscorer Emersonn, who could both be happy with their first appearances for their new club, making way for McAteer and Akpom. The Wearsiders swapped Brobbey and O’Nien for Wilson Isador and Omar Alderete.

As the game passed the 70-minute mark, man of the match Enciso took to the turf and after brief attention was swapped for Clarke, the Paraguayan not looking in any particular discomfort as he left the field.

Akpom was penalised for tripping Ballard as he chased a ball from deep, before both sides made changes. For the Black Cats, Habib Diarra and Chris Rigg took over from Enzo Le Fée and Trai Hume, before Walle Egeli and Town’s eighth new signing to take to the field, Ouattara, replaced Maeda and Nunez. Clarke moved to the left with Walle Egeli going to number 10.

On 82, Meunier hit a sharp well-struck effort from well out on the right, which Scherpen showed quick reactions to save.

The game was going through a flat period with neither side convincingly pushing for a winner. Scherpen pumped a few long balls forward for Akpom, who was furious with referee Hallam that he hadn’t been given a free-kick for being man-handled.

But in the final scheduled minute, the Blues restored their lead. Sub Alderete played a loose pass which Lukic, neat and tidy throughout in midfield, picked up before feeding in Clarke on the left. The former Sunderland man took the ball into the area before shooting low into the far corner of the net to send Portman Road wild once again and silence his old fans at the other end.

Town had four minutes of time added on to see out but two minutes in they weren’t far from adding a third, Clarke shooting wide from just inside the Sunderland half with Roefs well out of his goal.

O’Shea blocked two shots within seconds, Scherpen punched clear before being clattered unnecessarily before referee Hallam’s whistle confirmed a winning return to the Premier League, their first opening-day victory in the top flight since beating Oldham 3-0 away at the start of 1993/94.

The game had looked like it was going nowhere when for the second time over the course of the afternoon the Blues punished loose passing in the Sunderland defence, Clarke finishing in a manner familiar from last season, and also presumably to his old supporters from Wearside.

An ideal start for Town, who won only once on home turf in the Premier League two years ago and had to wait until November for their first win anywhere, with their form at Portman Road bound to be where they need to secure the points which would see them retain their top-flight status.

Town: Scherpen, O’Shea (c), Diop, Greaves, Davis, Nunez (Ouattara 80), Lukic, Fatawu (McAteer 67), Enciso (Clarke 71), Maeda (Walle Egeli 80), Emersonn (Akpom 67). Unused: Walton, Furlong, Kipre, Humphreys.

Sunderland: Roefs, Meunier, Ballard, O’Nien (Alderete 67), Reinildo, Xhaka (c), Sadiki, Hume (Rigg 80), Le Fée (Diarra 80), Angulo (Talbi 59), Brobbey (Isodor 67). Unused: Ellborg, Mundle, Mukiele, Ta Bi. Referee: Farai Hallam (Surrey). Assistants: Adrian Holmes and Simon Long. Fourth official: Andrew Madley. VAR: Nick Hopton. Assistant VAR: Wade Smith. Att: 29,669.

Photo: Reuters