Alex Pritchard silenced the boos as he scored on his return to Huddersfield Town to set Sunderland on their way to victory. The Black Cats were the better side at a blustery, rain-lashed, John Smith's Stadium and fully deserved their win.
Pritchard spent three-and-a-half years with the Terriers before leaving to join Sunderland in the summer of 2021. And he fired home just after half-time, to notch his first goal of the season.
Amad then added Sunderland's second in the 96th minute, as Tony Mowbray's men caught Huddersfield out on the counter. The win lifts Sunderland four places to 12th place in the table, while Huddersfield remain bottom.
READ MORE: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Sunderland: Highlights and reaction as Black Cats beat the Terriers
Mowbray made two changes to the side that started the weekend draw at Luton, one of which was forced upon him as Jack Clarke served a one-match ban. Patrick Roberts came into the side in place of Clarke, while the second change saw Elliot Embleton preferred to Dan Neil in midfield.
Huddersfield boss Mark Fotheringham made four changes, in his case to the side that started Saturday's home win against Millwall. Brodie Spencer, Josh Ruffels, Duane Holmes, and Jordan Rhodes came into the side, in place of Ollie Turton, Tom Lees, Sorba Thomas, and Danny Ward.
Huddersfield started on the front foot and gave Sunderland an early scare when Jack Rudoni turned neatly inside the D and unleashed a shot, which Anthony Patterson was relieved to see clear the bar. David Kasumu sent a 25-yard effort wide, as the hosts continued to dominate.
But after the opening quarter-hour, Sunderland began to come into the game and could have taken the lead on 17 minutes. Luke O'Nien crossed from the right, Leon Dajaku outmuscled Spencer and the ball came to Dennis Cirkin at the far post, but his volley into the turf bounced up and wide of the right-hand upright.
Sunderland carved out another chance midway through the half when Amad's shot hit Corry Evans, he brought it under control and sent in a shot of his own which Lee Nicholls got down to his left to push away, only as far as Dajaku who flashed his shot across the face of goal and wide. Huddersfield's best chance of the half fell to Ben Jackson after he worked his way into the left-hand corner of the box and shifted the ball onto his right foot, but his effort was straight at Patterson.
Huddersfield played out the final few minutes of the half with ten men after Yuta Nakayama departed on a stretcher after slipping and appearing to strain something, with Fotheringham opting to wait until the break before sending on Brahima Diarra in his place. Mowbray also made a change at half-time, with Ellis Simms coming on for Dajaku.
At the start of the second half, Rudoni sent another shot narrowly wide. And Huddersfield should have taken the lead ten minutes into the second period when Duane Holmes was put through on goal inside the area on the left, but Patterson stood up well to make a fine block, and when the ball was worked to Rhodes he blazed over the bar from eight yards.
Almost immediately, Sunderland punished Huddersfield for that miss as they went in front. Roberts and Amad played a one-two inside the area on the right, and Roberts then played a low ball across the face of goal for Pritchard to divert home from close range.
Soon after that, Rhodes sent a free-kick from the edge of the box straight at Patterson. As the game wore on, Huddersfield became increasingly desperate and they threw everything forward in the final minute of injury-time and paid the price. Sunderland won the ball and broke away quickly down the right with Amad finding Simms, who returned the ball to the wideman inside the area and he slotted his finish under Nicholls to make sure of the win.
How they lined up
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Ruffels, Spencer, Helik, Nakayama (Diarra 46), Camara, Kasumu (Mahoney 70), Holmes, Rudoni, Jackson, Rhodes (Ward 62). Subs not used: Bilokapic, Mbete, Russell, Boyle
Booked: Camara, Holmes
Sunderland: Patterson, O'Nien, Wright, Batth, Cirkin, Evans (Neil 61), Embleton (Ba 61), Roberts (Matete 79), Amad, Pritchard (Bennette 90+1), Dajaku (Simms 46). Subs not used: Bass, Hume
Booked: Batth, Ba
Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands)
Attendance: 19,341
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