Darren Bent scores twice for Charlton against Sunderland in Premier League opener

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 13, 2026, 5:00 AM

Last updated Aug 13, 2026

Darren Bent scores twice for Charlton against Sunderland in Premier League opener
Summary

On August 13, 2005, Sunderland faced Charlton Athletic in their Premier League opener at the Stadium of Light. After a slow start, Sunderland equalized through Andy Gray, but Darren Bent scored two goals for Charlton, including a late effort to seal their victory. Despite entering the match with some optimism, Sunderland struggled against Charlton, who controlled much of the game. The result marked a disappointing start for Sunderland and raised questions about their season ahead under manager Mick McCarthy.

Source Links
By the Numbers
  • •Sunderland returned to the Premier League after promotion.
  • •Charlton took an early lead with a goal from Darren Bent.
  • •Sunderland equalized through Andy Gray before halftime.
  • •Charlton's Danny Murphy scored a free-kick to regain the lead.
  • •Bent secured the win with a second goal in injury time.
Latest Updates
  • 5:00 AMYahoo Sports — On This Day (13 August 2005): Mick’s Luck Runs Out As Ex-Transfer Target Nets A Double
What they're saying
"

Twenty-one years ago, Sunderland returned to the Premier League with spirits high — but it didn’t take long for the early-season optimism to evaporate…

Related Teams & Leagues

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days