Sunderland 1-1 (4-3) Durham Women: Lambourne penalty heroics earns Sunderland extra point
Sunderland Women claimed a penalty shoot-out win over Durham Women in the Subway League Cup group stage on Sunday, after the match ended 1-1.
Emily Scarr’s goal gave Sunderland a deserved lead, however Beth Hepple’s free-kick levelled the game, before misses from Mariana Speckermaier and Lauren Briggs in the shoot-out gave Sunderland the extra point.
WE WIN THE RIVER WEAR DERBY VIA A SHOOT-OUT! pic.twitter.com/9krZfvkKxW
— Sunderland AFC Women (@SAFCWomen) November 23, 2025
Sunderland went into the game off the back of a disappointing defeat to local rivals Newcastle in the WSL2, while Durham had failed to win in their last five games.
Sunderland’s early control led to a couple of half chances, with Keira Barry’s excellent ball reaching the head of Scarr at the back post, but her header was just over.
Then, Katie Kitching’s effort from outside of the box didn’t trouble Anna King in goal.
Durham’s first chance came when a corner dropped to Abbie Grant, who spun and fired an effort goalwards, but Demi Lambourne turned the ball over the bar.
Yet, Sunderland kept control, as Scarr’s long run to the by-line allowed her to square the ball to the sprinting Kitching, but her sliding effort was narrowly wide.
Sunderland’s dominance continued after the break, and the pressure finally mounted.
A well-timed run in behind the defence by Scarr left her one-on-one with King, before she calmly passed the ball into the corner.
The composure @SAFCWomen‘s Emily Scarr makes absolutely no mistakes to find the back of the net #SubwayWLC pic.twitter.com/PQsg3bIfMZ
— Barclays Women’s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) November 23, 2025
Scarr had the chance to double Sunderland’s lead five minutes later, when Louise Griffiths’ well-timed tackle on the edge of the box found the attacker, but her shot arrowed wide.
But Sunderland’s lead was broken with 20 minutes to play, when Hepple’s free-kick curled into the top corner.
Sunderland reacted well and Scarr had another opportunity, when Griffiths won the ball back on the edge of the box, before finding Scarr, whose shot dropped wide of the bottom corner.
In the final moments, Scarr almost won the game, when from a one-on-one, her shot was cleared off the line.
After all six perfect penalties, Speckermaier blazed her spot-kick over the bar, giving Sunderland the lead in the shoot-out, before Briggs’ effort was tame and well-saved by Lambourne – giving Sunderland the additional point.
Durham next play Ipswich in the WSL 2 on Sunday 7 December at 12pm, while Sunderland next play Nottingham Forest in the WSL 2 on Sunday 7 December at 2pm.
