Three goals in 13 first-half minutes saw Sunderland blitz past Brentford and into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 win at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats owed much to 21-year-old Jocelin Ta Bi for his trio of assists to turn the game on its head after Brentford had dominated the early stages - and hit the post, bar and saw a shot cleared off the line in one move at 0-0.
Ta Bi, who joined Sunderland in January but had only featured four times since, was a livewire on the right flank in that first 45 minutes and thought he had opened his account for the club with a low drive that beat Hakon Valdimarsson, only for Chemsdine Talbi to tap home on the line and claim the goal.
Bi's second assist was more intentional after dancing into the box from out wide and pulling the ball back for Timur Tutierov, who sidefooted home a quick second only three minutes later.
Another 10 after that, it was three when Bi's excellent cross picked out Malick Fofana at the far post, and the unmarked Belgian powered a header home.
Callum Wilson gave Brentford hope just before the break when he bundled an effort home from close range before being booed for his Newcastle connections, but the Bees failed to build on that effort and took until the 94th minute for Igor Thiago to turn home Mathias Jensen's effort - by which time, it was too late.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris:
"We know we have a nice challenge this season with the Europa League, the Carabao Cup and the league with a young squad.
"The process is not a straight line. The win can be really powerful because we had to show character and we delivered.
"Jocelin [Ta Bi] is the perfect example. He came from another country, he is so talented. He was brave…and to deliver those three key passes.
"This is the second season in the Premier League with the Europa League, so it is difficult. There is always a fine margin.
"It doesn't disturb the whole process. We have to stay consistent and this was a good step today."
Brentford head coach Keith Andrews:
"We were very ambitious in this competition to go as far as we could.
"We approached it in a very diligent way, playing Sunderland recently we know what they are about. We can't concede goals like that in a short space of time, defend like that and expect a good outcome.
"The game is about both boxes. Granted there were some players who haven't played for a while, but we pride ourselves in how we defend as a team.
"It was a crazy game but we have to look at ourselves, how we conceded those goals. You can't describe those 12 minutes of madness. I had full faith in the team, we see them every day in training and unfortunately those minutes have cost us."
