Joel Asoro says he was pleased to reward Sunderland fans who feel like part of his family with a goalscoring full league debut against Hull City.

Five hundred and 18 days after his maiden Black Cats appearance as a Premier League substitute at home to Middlesbrough, the 18-year-old was handed his first league start by the club and scored the game’s only goal.

Asoro played up front alongside his close friend 19-year-old Josh Maja, with another academy graduate, George Honeyman, prompting from the No.10 position and Ethan Robson further back in a more orthodox midfield role. When a tiring Maja was substituted, Lynden Gooch became the fifth Academy of Light product to play.

Joel Asoro
Joel Asoro

“We spoke about it before the game, talking about playing together up front,” he said of his partnership with Maja. “We just told each other to be ready. We know so well how to play with each other.

“We have a natural understanding going because we have played together for two years now.

“In a way it feels like playing in the under-23s with so many young players in the side.

“We have this connection to play with each other. With Josh, if one of us is going for a header, the other one knows where to be.”

As well as the homegrown youngsters, Sunderland also had 20-year-old Jake Clarke-Salter and 23-year-old Tyias Browning – both on loan from the Premier League – in the back three as they kept their fifth clean sheet in 11 league matches under Chris Coleman.

Maja and Asoro’s talented have been known about for a long time on Wearside, but only Coleman has had the courage to start them.

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The crowd have been hugely supportive, giving both great encouragement when they have come off the bench. Although Asoro was the first to play for the senior side, Maja was the first to score and to start in the Championship. Maja’s goal against Fulham came in the only other home match the Black Cats have won at the Stadium of Light since 2016.

“I was just so happy for him because he has had a lot of injuries to deal with, so happy,” commented Asoro. “But I am glad is was my time on Saturday.

“And like him, it was at home so we could share the happiness with the fans. They have really got behind me. It feels like they are my family. I have that connection with them. I feel the fans understand me.

“I was quite shocked when it went in but very happy. I can’t really describe the feeling. I just ran away screaming.

“We haven’t scored a lot of early goals this season so doing it this time put all the pressure on Hull.”

Coleman had spent the week trying to add to his stable of strikers – he has agreed terms to loan Chris Martin from Derby County but with other options on the table Sunderland are yet to get the go-ahead from the experienced Championship goalscorer. Nevertheless, by selling James Vaughan to Wigan Athletic first, the Welshman has already shown his faith in Maja and Asoro.

“Chris Coleman is a manager who will give you a chance as a young player and it is up to us to take it,” said the latter.

“We have to forget we are teenagers playing so few games. If you do not perform, you cannot blame it on your age. If fans see you working hard, you might get a chance to prove yourself.”

The only blemish on Asoro’s day was a caution for diving after he ran at Michael Dawson in the penalty area. Hull’s captain had minutes earlier been booked for fouling the youngster on the edge of the 18-yard box.

“He actually stepped on my foot,” Asoro claimed. “That was my view but the referee (Keith Stroud) made the decision and so I am not going to complain about it now.”