Chopra fires Black Cats to victory

The former Newcastle striker came off the bench to slot home an 81st-minute shot, and then added a second in injury time to seal the win.

England winger Stewart Downing had fired a 75th-minute penalty over the bar to let the Wearsiders off the hook.

Boro would have taken the lead with 19 minutes gone had Craig Gordon not reacted to smartly to Downing's snapshot after a Daniel Alves' free-kick had been blocked into his path.

The England international had been asked to support the Brazilian in attack with Adam Johnson filling in on the left side of midfield, and the youngster's pace proved a big weapon as the visitors repeatedly hit Sunderland on the counter-attack.

It was he who carved Roy Keane's defence, featuring Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney at the Stadium of Light for the first time, wide-open eight minutes before half-time as Boro launched a raid from the edge of their own penalty area.

Johnson picked out Alves' intelligent run across the Wearside rearguard with the perfect pass, but the striker's first-time shot was well blocked by the advancing Gordon.

The breakthrough came when Sunderland were awarded a penalty in the final quarter when Nyron Nosworthy clipped Jeremie Aliadiere's heels inside the box and referee Howard Webb had little hesitation in pointing to the spot. But Downing's effort sailed over the bar to set up a tense conclusion.

Just how costly that miss was became evident with 81 minutes gone when Chopra and Kieron Richardson exchanged passes on the edge of the box for the striker to run in and slide the ball past Ross Turnbull.

The former Newcastle frontman was booked for his celebration, but his fortunes improved at the death when Steed Malbranque presented him with the simplest of chances to double his tally.