Chemsdine Talbi's composed chipped finish was all Sunderland needed to edge past Hull City 1-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening.

The Black Cats made it through to the fourth round — scheduled for the end of October — on the back of a largely dominant display, despite a match that took time to catch fire between two Premier League sides.

A sluggish opening

Manager Regis Le Bris rang the changes drastically, making 11 alterations from the side that drew with Brentford at the weekend. Dayann Methalie and Jules Ahoka were handed full debuts, while Malick Fofana — who came off the bench against Brentford — made his first start for the club.

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic was equally bold, rotating eight players from the goalless draw against Aston Villa. Mohamed-Ali Cho, Sorba Thomas, and Robinio Vaz all made their full debuts for the visitors.

Goalkeeper Dillon Phillips was called upon early, clawing a Jocelin Ta Bi cross over the bar before diving to push away a header from Ahoka. Hull responded with a pair of corners that were comfortably cleared, and the opening period settled into a quiet, even affair.

Sunderland threatened when Chris Rigg threaded a pass to Jocelin, but the winger dragged his shot wide. Talbi then forced Phillips into a low save before Ahoka blazed over from range. At the other end, Vaz's tame effort from a tight angle was safely claimed by Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg.

Talbi breaks the deadlock

The second half started with Sunderland pressing for the opening goal. Wilson Isidor's looping header clipped the roof of the net, and Rigg curled a free-kick wide shortly after. Hull made a triple substitution in the 59th minute and grew into the half, with Thomas' free-kick testing Ellborg.

The decisive moment arrived with 19 minutes remaining. Breaking from a Hull corner, substitute Thomas Meunier flicked the ball into the path of Talbi, who surged through the visiting defence and coolly chipped the ball over Phillips into the bottom corner to put the Black Cats ahead.

Isidor skewed an effort wide as Sunderland chased a second, and substitute Timur Tutierov fired over the bar. Hull pushed late in search of an equaliser — former Black Cat loanee Joe Gelhardt scuffed a close-range chance over, and Cho blazed wide from a corner — but Sunderland held firm to advance.