Romaine Mundle's stunning late goal rescued a point for Sunderland as they drew 1-1 with Preston North End at the Stadium of Light in the Championship.
Preston North End had the first real opportunity of the match, with Brad Potts forcing a save from Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson inside the first five minutes. Sam Greenwood’s follow-up shot sailed over the bar. The visitors continued to look dangerous, especially with their counter-pressing play, but Sunderland came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half. A header from Tommy Watson went wide after some neat passing between Trai Hume and Eliezer Mayenda.
Despite Sunderland’s dominance in possession, they failed to convert multiple chances. Dennis Cirkin and Wilson Isidor both had opportunities to score but failed to find the finish. The most glaring miss came from Isidor, who sent a header wide from close range after an excellent cross from Hume.
The second half began in a similar fashion, with Preston wasting a clear chance. Danish striker Emil Riis had an open goal to aim at but blazed his effort over. Both teams continued to struggle in front of goal, with Riis and Sunderland's Mayenda both missing further chances.
However, in the 65th minute, Riis made no mistake when he found the net after a well-timed shot from outside the area that hit the post and went in. The goal left Sunderland with little time to recover and the home crowd becoming increasingly frustrated as their promotion hopes seemed to fade.
But in the 86th minute, Mundle delivered the moment of brilliance the Black Cats needed. The substitute curled a stunning shot from the edge of the box into the top corner, leveling the score at 1-1 and relieving some of the pressure on Sunderland.
Despite nine minutes of added time, Sunderland could not find a winner, as Preston’s defense held firm. The match ended in a draw, leaving Sunderland in fourth place, with Preston in 15th.
Elsewhere, Sheffield United were left frustrated at Bramall Lane as Bristol City snatched a dramatic equaliser in the dying seconds of their Championship encounter on Tuesday. Despite Tyrese Campbell's 61st-minute strike giving the Blades the lead, Mark Sykes' last-minute goal denied them all three points, leaving Sheffield United only a point clear at the top of the league.
Sheffield United, who were aiming to extend their lead over second-place Leeds United, had dominated possession for much of the match but struggled to break down a resilient Bristol City defense. The match remained goalless at the break, with neither side able to find a breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes.
The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour mark, when Campbell scored his 10th goal of the season. The striker, in impressive form with four goals in his last four matches, was on hand to finish after a clever assist from Rhian Brewster. It appeared as though Sheffield United would continue their march toward the top of the table, with the lead seemingly secure.
However, Bristol City, who had shown little attacking threat up until that point, fought back in the final minutes of the match. In the 90th minute, substitute Mark Sykes capitalized on a defensive lapse and rifled home to level the score. The late goal was a blow for Sheffield United, leaving them just one point ahead of Leeds, who have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot when they face Millwall on Wednesday.
The final minutes were marked by heightened tension, as Sheffield United saw two penalty appeals waved away during stoppage time, leaving their players visibly frustrated. Tempers flared between the two sides, further adding to the drama of an already intense encounter.
Bristol City's point keeps them in seventh place, just two points behind Coventry, who currently occupy the final play-off spot. Despite their last-gasp equalizer, the draw is a valuable one for the Robins, though they will be left wondering what could have been had they managed to capitalize on any earlier chances.
The match finished 1-1, and Sheffield United now look ahead to their next challenge, knowing they must maintain their grip on top spot as Leeds remain hot on their heels.