Leeds United 2 Sunderland 1: Black Cats beaten by dramatic late goal — Northern Echo 17/2/25

By Scott Wilson

THIS time, it was Leeds United supplying the stoppage-time drama.

When Sunderland claimed a point against Daniel Farke’s side at the Stadium of Light earlier this season, Illan Meslier produced one of the all-time great goalkeeping gaffes in the dying seconds.

Pascal Struijk’s 95th-minute winner last night might not have been quite so unexpected, but it was every bit as dramatic as it condemned Sunderland to a defeat that had looked unlikely for most of the night.

Defeat was harsh on the Black Cats, who had led for the best part of 45 minutes after Wilson Isidor capped a thoroughly-professional first-half team display with a clinical low strike.

Struijjk headed home a 78th-minute equaliser after leaving the bench, but even then, it had looked as though Sunderland would claim a point to keep themselves in the automatic-promotion race.

Instead, Struijk glanced home another close-range header deep into stoppage time to leave Regis Le Bris’ side eight points adrift of the top two. That is hardly an insurmountable gap with 13 games to go, but losing in such a heartbreaking manner felt like a hugely-damaging blow.

Leeds bounced back from Meslier’s error, Le Bris’ task now is to ensure that the positive elements from last night’s display are not completely lost amid the final result. Strong, resolute and offering a threat on the counter-attack, the Black Cats delivered a fine away display. Ultimately, though, it wasn’t good enough to shut out a Leeds side that are surely heading back to the Premier League.

Last season, Mike Dodds set up Sunderland to be ultra-defensive in the corresponding fixture and spoiled his way to a point. Regis Le Bris was never going to adopt the same approach, with his team selection underlining his determination to take the game to Leeds.

With Salis Abdul Samed on the bench, Le Bris stuck with the formation and personnel that had seen off Luton Town five days earlier, and Sunderland’s fearless mindset was apparent from their first attack.

Dan Ballard spread the play to Enzo Le Fee with a raking long pass, the French midfielder picked out Jobe Bellingham on the edge of the penalty area, and successfully dissecting a crowd of players, Bellingham slotted a side-footed effort that Illan Meslier saved down to his left. Patrick Roberts seized on the rebound, but Meslier was alert to the danger and blocked the winger’s follow-up shot.

The double save would have calmed any pre-match unease Meslier was feeling in the wake of his calamitous error at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season, and set the tone for a first half in which Sunderland were a constant threat on the counter-attack despite Leeds dominating possession.

The hosts spent most of the opening period in the Black Cats’ half, but while Dennis Cirkin did well to block a shot from Dan James and Brenden Aaronson fired over after Jayden Bogle’s long pass was nodded into his path, Sunderland’s defence was never seriously troubled.

Instead, it was the home side’s backline that was looking stretched whenever the Black Cats broke, and it was the visitors breaking the deadlock shortly after the half-hour mark.

The goal owed everything to the pace and power of Isidor, with the striker racing into the inside-right channel to receive a pass from Ballard. Having initially outmuscled Ethan Ampadu, he then outmanoeuvred the Leeds skipper as he turned inside him in the 18-yard box. His subsequent low shot was perfect, angled across Meslier and finding the net via the inside of the far post.

It was Isidor’s 12th goal of a hugely-successful season for the striker, who has been playing with even more of a swagger since his initial loan move from Zenit St Petersburg was turned into a permanent transfer in last month’s transfer window. Isidor went close to claiming a second in first-half stoppage time, glancing in a header from Roberts’ cross that Meslier got down to save.

Leeds were defending a 14-game unbeaten run in the league, and the hosts displayed increased urgency as they attempted to restore parity at the start of the second half.

Anthony Patterson displayed smart reflexes to cut out Manor Solomon’s driven cross, but Sunderland continued to defend with commendable commitment and organisation. Both Trai Hume and Cirkin were snapping into challenges in their respective full-back positions, with Dan Neil once again impressing as he mopped up in front of the Black Cats’ back four. For a player who is not a natural holding midfielder, Neil has made an excellent fist of making the position his own this season.

Leeds’ players grew increasingly frustrated as Sunderland continued to shut them out, with their second-half attacking becoming more and more frantic. Ao Tanaka curled a shot wide just after the hour mark, but when the Black Cats got a rare opportunity to throw men forward themselves with 20 minutes remaining, Roberts cut infield to drive in a smart low strike that Meslier saved to his right.

Daniel Farke was growing increasingly unhappy on the touchline, but the Leeds’ boss double substitution in the 71st minute was to secure his side a route back into the game. Joe Rothwell and Struijk came on, and within seven minutes of being on the field, they were combining to fashion an equaliser.

Rothwell was the architect, whipping in a teasing free-kick from close to the left touchline. Struijk rose higher than Sunderland’s defenders, glancing a header towards goal, and while Luke O’Nien tried to keep the ball out on the goalline, he was unable to prevent it finding the back of the net.

It looked being a point apiece, but Struijk struck again deep into stoppage time, glancing home another header from a right-wing cross.