Leeds United beats Sunderland 1-0 in New Jersey preseason friendly

Leeds United defeated Sunderland 1-0 in a preseason friendly at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on July 30, 2026. Lukas Nmecha scored the decisive goal in the eighth minute with a low strike after identifying goalkeeper Melker Ellborg out of position.

The match marked the second game of both clubs' North American preseason tour. Leeds entered on the back of a 3-2 loss to Wrexham, while Sunderland had suffered a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool. Manager Daniel Farke fielded new signing Tarik Muharemović alongside young prospects Callum Mills and Harry Wilson, rotating the squad with six changes at halftime to give additional players playing time ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season.

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris managed squad rotation by giving World Cup-returning players approximately 30 minutes of action while pushing other squad members to 60 minutes. The Black Cats were without winger Jocelin Ta Bi, whose visa application was rejected and not overturned despite an appeal; he was expected to rejoin the squad in Sunderland the following week. Le Bris stated that his squad showed improvement compared to the previous preseason, citing better tactical understanding and efficiency in build-up play.

The friendly was broadcast on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN Unlimited and multiple free trial platforms including Fubo and DirecTV. Leeds' second-half substitutions included academy players Jayden Lienou, Alfie Cresswell, and Rhys Chadwick. Sunderland created limited clear-cut chances; defender Trai Hume's effort was deflected wide, and forward Brian Brobbey could not guide a close-range opportunity on target. The victory concluded Leeds' preparations in New Jersey before facing Liverpool in Chicago on July 31.