Sunderland vs Chelsea match report: Jermain Defoe scores crucial winner in comeback win

Sunderland 3 Chelsea 2

Sunderland celebrate Defoe's winner against Chelsea (Getty)

John Terry would have pictured his Chelsea farewell somewhat differently. Sent off deep into stoppage time, he was sat in the away dressing room reflecting on 18 years at a club with which he has become synonymous as the final whistle blew and the Stadium of Light erupted with a mixture of joy and relief at the prospect of a fourth consecutive great escape.

Two yellow cards in the space of five minutes, the second for upending Sunderland goalscorer Wahbi Khazri at the end of an extraordinary contest, proved to be the 35-year-old's final act for a team he has served with such distinction for almost two decades. A two-game suspension will preclude him from Chelsea's final games of the season this week, and with his contract set to not be renewed, the England defender will seek a new challenge as he considers lucrative offers from China and North America.

Having also unwittingly diverted Sunderland's second equaliser into his own net as the hosts produced a stirring comeback to seal a victory which went a long way to securing a 10th consecutive season of top flight football on Wearside, it's safe to assume Terry will not remember his 489th and in all probability final Premier League appearance with any great fondness.

Wahbi Khazri scored a stunning volley to open the scoring (Getty)

"The referee was too close to the incident and for me it was an impulsive reaction to show a yellow," Guus Hiddink, the Chelsea manager said in a bizarre critique of Terry's second yellow card, which rules him out of the midweek trip to Liverpool and the final game at home to Champions Leicester City. The Dutchman refused to confirm Terry has played his last game for the club, but he added: "If he doesn't play for Chelsea again, it is sad.

"Of course, we don't know what his future but for this season it's sad it. It would have been lovely to have the last game at home against the Champions and having a very nice 'party game', so it's sad he's not participating in that. I've not had chance to speak to him yet, everyone was just sitting and staring in the dressing room afterwards."

Unlike Terry, Sunderland will recall this dramatic 90 minutes with rather more relish if it provides the springboard for their latest Houdini act. Newcastle's unfathomable failure to beat Aston Villa means the Wearside club will seal their escape if they beat Everton at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday. Anything less, and it will go to the final day, when they travel to Watford, Newcastle host Tottenham, and Norwich, who remain in with a chance of survival, face Roberto Martinez's side.

Nemanja Matic put Chelsea into a 2-1 lead (Getty)

"Our destiny is in our own hands and we'd be gutted if we didn't manage it now," Sam Allardyce, the Sunderland manager, said. "We're in a good position and must take advantage of that. We've still got to be very professional on Wednesday to make sure when we finish that game we're safe and hopefully we'll not jangle our nerves any longer than we need to."

Chelsea had perhaps expected a routine victory when Diego Costa broke the deadlock midway through the first-half by beating Vito Mannone from a narrow angle. Sunderland's equaliser, their first goal at home since March 1 five minutes from the break was certainly worth the wait. Both John Obi Mikel and Gary Cahill failed to nullify the danger with attempted headed clearances from Patrick van Aanholt's free-kick into the box, and from the second of those, Khazri sent a stunning 20-yard volley past Courtois and into the top corner for a truly memorable leveller.

Sunderland were in the ascendency, and that will have made the way they tamely surrendered parity against the run of play all the more galling as first-half injury-time approached. A hopeful upfield punt from Cesc Fabregas caused far more problematical to clear than it should have, and when the ball fell to Nemanja Matic in the box, the midfielder calmly fired the ball under Mannone to restore Chelsea's lead.

Jermain Defoe scores the goal that could keep Sunderland in the Premier League (Getty)

Mannone produced three vital saves after the break to provide a platform from which Sunderland pushed on for a priceless victory, twice blocking from Costa and tipping a Willian free-kick over. Fabio Borini sparked the comeback, claiming a second leveller as he drove the ball home from the edge of the area with the aid of a significant deflection off Terry, who was stood in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Before Chelsea had time to recover, they were behind for the first time on an afternoon of high drama, the visitors failing to deal with De Andre Yedlin's 70th minute cross to allow Jermain Defoe the luxury of a first touch a dozen yards from goal. With the second, the forward found the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season.

Terry departed shortly before the end, and Chelsea were a beaten outfit. "We've not come from behind to win all season," Allardyce added (they have done so, once). "That was the magnitude of the task."

Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, Kone (O'Shea 55), Kaboul, Van Aanholt, Kirchoff (Watmore 64), Borini, Cattermole (Larsson 71), M'Vila, Khazri, Defoe

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic (Rahman 68), Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Mikel (Traore 83), Matic, Willian (Oscar 80), Fabregas, Hazard, Costa

Referee: Mike Jones

Man of the match: Vito Mannone (Sunderland)

Match rating: 8/10