Wilson Isidor came off the bench to score the decisive goal as Sunderland secured their first Premier League victory of the season with a 1-0 win over Fulham.
The result left Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa furious with his side's performance, questioning their attitude, commitment and desire after they failed to register a single shot on target.
Isidor was introduced in the 64th minute and quickly made his presence felt in what had been a scrappy contest with few clear opportunities.
The forward almost opened the scoring after Granit Xhaka and Enzo le Fee combined to create an opening inside the Fulham penalty area.
Isidor found himself unmarked but saw his effort strike the foot of the post.
However, he would not be denied for long.
In the 75th minute, fellow substitute Habib Diarra produced an excellent burst down the right before sending a low cross into the area.
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno failed to gather the delivery, allowing Isidor to convert from close range and give Sunderland the lead.
The Haiti international, who scored for his country at the World Cup during the summer, ultimately proved to be the match-winner.
After the game, Arbeloa made no attempt to hide his frustration with Fulham's display.
The former Real Madrid boss said he was unhappy with his team's attitude and felt they had failed to show the fight and intensity required to compete in the Premier League.
Fulham had opened their league campaign with an entertaining 3-2 defeat against Chelsea before responding with a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over League One side AFC Wimbledon.
But against Sunderland, they struggled to produce anything meaningful in attack.
Despite enjoying 58.4% possession, Fulham repeatedly wasted promising situations through poor passing and a lack of composure in the final third.
Their best opportunity came while the game was still goalless when Alex Iwobi found Josh King in space, but he fired over the crossbar.
Summer signing Gonzalo Garcia, who joined from Real Madrid and scored in Fulham's opening two competitive matches, also endured a frustrating afternoon.
His best efforts were blocked by Nordi Mukiele and Romaine Mundle as Sunderland defended resolutely.
The defeat leaves Fulham without a point from their opening two Premier League fixtures.
Neither side produced much quality during the opening half, with promising attacks regularly breaking down because of poor final passes or rushed finishing.
Sunderland created an early opportunity in the fifth minute when Xhaka switched play before Thomas Meunier delivered a cross into the penalty area, but Trai Hume was unable to make proper contact from around 10 yards.
The Black Cats entered the match looking for a response after suffering a 2-1 defeat at promoted Ipswich Town on the opening weekend, when former Sunderland winger Jack Clarke scored a late winner.
Their mood had been lifted by the Europa League draw, which handed them a high-profile trip to AC Milan in December as part of a demanding European campaign.
After finishing seventh last season, Sunderland now face the challenge of balancing domestic football with at least eight additional European fixtures.
Manager Regis le Bris will therefore have been particularly pleased with the determination shown by his players against Fulham.
Xhaka delivered an influential midfield performance, controlling possession with his long-range passing while providing leadership throughout the contest.
Mukiele and Mundle also played important roles, producing crucial blocks as Sunderland protected their narrow advantage and secured a clean sheet.
It was the kind of disciplined defensive performance Le Bris will hope his side can reproduce as their schedule becomes increasingly demanding.
Arbeloa replaced Marco Silva following his departure in June and had seen Fulham score five goals across their opening two competitive fixtures.
This performance was considerably less encouraging.
The visitors controlled large periods of possession but rarely threatened Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs, with their inability to turn promising positions into clear chances becoming a major concern.
Arbeloa stressed afterwards that Fulham must show the same intensity regardless of the opposition, arguing that competing effectively requires character, mentality and ambition in every match.
Having beaten Sunderland both home and away last season, Fulham will be particularly disappointed to leave Wearside empty-handed.
They now turn their attention to next Saturday's home meeting with Crystal Palace as they search for their first Premier League points of the campaign.
With the transfer window closing on Tuesday, Fulham's lack of attacking threat could also influence their remaining business.
Arbeloa may decide additional firepower is required if the Cottagers are to improve on last season's 11th-place Premier League finish.
