Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of Sunderland vs Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats' season starts here and optimism is high on Wearside after their top-six finish last season.
Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman have spent the summer strengthening the squad, with players such as Jobe Bellingham and Bradley Dack arriving, and there are set to be some big debuts today.
Sunderland will be missing Ross Stewart,Elliot Embleton,Corry Evans and Aji Alese throught injury, while new signings Jenson Seelt (ankle) and Eliezer Mayenda (hamstring) are ruled out. Dack is unlikely to make his debut with the former Blackburn Rovers man building up his fitness.
We'll have all the latest from the Stadium of Light as it happens today, with James Hunter bringing you the match action, ratings and post-match reaction.
Tony Mowbray
Sunderland's lack of a cutting edge proved costly against Ipswich, but the club is working to bring in another striker.
FT ratings
Dan Neil got a goal and almost salvaged a point, but it was a day to forget for Trai Hume.
FT. Sunderland 1-2 Ipswich Town
And that's that.
Sunderland suffer defeat on the opening day.
For much of the game they offered very little in front of goal, and Ipswich took a commanding lead as Broadhead scored on the stroke of half-time and Hirst added the second soon after the break.
Hume was sent off for a silly second bookable offence, Neil halved the deficit and then rattled the woodwork right at the end.
Sunderland didn't really come alive until the final ten minutes the 90, by which time they were playing catch-up.
Not good enough
Rate the players
What did you make of the Sunderland players today?
Here's your chance to mark them out of 10 - we'll compile an average score for each player.
90+14mins Woodwork!
Ball clipped into the box, Neil's volley hits the keeper and that deflects it onto the right-hand post. So close to an equaliser right at the death!
86mins Sunderland 1-2 Ipswich Town. GGGGGOOOOAAALLLL!!!!
Sunderland pull one back!
Cirkin cuts the ball back from the goalline on the left and Neil is there to tuck it home from inside the six-yard box
85mins Chance!
Ipswich have a 2-vs-1 as Hutchinson strides forward, but he wastes the chance, hitting his shot at Ekwah
73mins Red Card
Hume sent off for a second bookable offence after pulling back Davis. Stupid thing to do when you're already on a yellow card
54mins Woodwork!
Chaplin chips Patterson from just inside the Sunderland half, but the ball comes back off the bar. Ballard does just enough to prevent Hirst getting to the rebound
53mins Sunderland 0-2 Ipswich Town. Goal!
Broadhead with the assist this time. He slips the ball forward for Hirst to run onto and clip his finish past Patterson
HT ratings
Patterson 7
Hume 6
Ballard 6
O'Nien 7
Cirkin 6
Neil 6
Ekwah 7
Roberts 6
Bellingham 6
Clarke 7
Hemir 6
HT. Sunderland 0-1 Ipswich Town
A kick in the teeth for Sunderland right on the stroke of half-time as Broadhead - it had to be, didn't it? - puts Ipswich in front.
Sunderland have put a fair bit of pressure on Ipswich in the first half but have only really created one chance, when Ekwah's shot was palmed out to Bellingham and he missed with the goal gaping.
Ipswich have looked more dangerous - they've had one cleared off the line, Patterson has made a good save, there's been a shot deflected just wide, and then the goal.
Sunderland need more in front of goal in the second half
45+1mins Sunderland 0-1 Ipswich Town. Goal!
Donacien long throw from the right into the box, Burgess flicks it on, Neil's attempted clearing header falls to Davis just outside the box, his shot was going wide but is then diverted into the net by Broadhead
42mins Penalty shout!
Clarke goes down in the box under a challenge from Donacien. No penalty given. Instead a free-kick for a handball against Clarke
36mins Chance!
Ball is put into the Ipswich box, there's a bit of scramble, Hume sees a shot blocked
35mins Chance!
Neat approach play from Ipswich, ball is backheeled into the path of Chaplin and his low shot deflects off Ballard and goes narrowly wide
