Sunderland opens 2001/02 season with 1-0 win over Ipswich at home
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 5:00 AM
Last updated Aug 18, 2026
On August 18, 2001, Sunderland kicked off their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 victory against Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light. Kevin Phillips converted a penalty to secure the win for Sunderland, who had previously finished seventh in the league and aimed for further success with new signings. The match saw Sunderland defending well and maintaining control despite Ipswich's attempts to equalize. Although the victory sparked optimism for the season, Sunderland ultimately faced a challenging campaign, finishing 17th and narrowly avoiding relegation.
- •Sunderland won 1-0 against Ipswich in their season opener.
- •Kevin Phillips scored the only goal from a penalty.
- •Sunderland had new signings debuting in the match.
- •The victory generated optimism for the upcoming season.
- •Sunderland would later face relegation battles that season.
- 5:00 AMYahoo Sports — On This Day (18th Aug 2001): Sunderland Start in Style vs Ipswich – But It Was a False Dawn
"Kevin Phillips struck from the spot as Sunderland began the 2001/02 campaign with victory over Ipswich - but could Peter Reid’s side build on it?
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