Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s remarkable resurgence continued unabated as the striker’s seventh goal in his last six appearances earned Leeds United a hard-fought point in a 1-1 draw away to Sunderland.
Adingra Strikes First for the Black Cats
The match at the Stadium of Light saw the home side take the lead against the run of play in the 28th minute. A trademark long throw from the versatile Nordi Mukiele, deputising in central defence, eventually found its way to captain Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder played a superb, defence-splitting pass to Simon Adingra on the left. The Ivorian winger, omitted from his national squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, cut inside and unleashed a swerving, dipping strike that found the net beyond the reach of Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri. It was Adingra’s first goal for Sunderland.
Sunderland were missing six players due to Afcon, but manager Régis Le Bris saw stand-ins like Adingra, Dennis Cirkin, and Chris Rigg seize their opportunities. Leeds suffered an early blow when defender Joe Rodon was forced off injured, prompting Daniel Farke to switch from a 3-5-2 formation to a back four.
Leeds Fight Back Through In-Form Striker
The visitors had chances to level before the break, most notably when Trai Hume made a heroic goal-line clearance to deny Brenden Aaronson after a Calvert-Lewin volley. Sunderland also spurned opportunities to double their lead, with Brian Brobbey first shooting weakly at Perri and then seeing a header cannon back off the crossbar.
Those misses proved costly just after half-time. Leeds produced a magnificent team move, involving all eleven players, which culminated in Aaronson driving a low cross from the right into the box. There, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on hand to sweep home a deserved equaliser, further strengthening his case for an England recall.
A Thrilling Conclusion to a Well-Contested Draw
Following the goal, Leeds dominated possession for a period, with Sunderland struggling to escape their own half. Le Bris responded by introducing Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda, which injected pace and helped the Black Cats regain a foothold. The game opened up thrillingly in the final stages, with both sides pushing for a winner, but neither could find a decisive second goal.
The final whistle brought applause from both sets of supporters, acknowledging a high-quality contest that challenged the notion of an insurmountable gap between the Premier League and the Championship. The result leaves both teams in confident mood about their top-flight survival prospects, with Calvert-Lewin’s hot streak the major talking point for the travelling Leeds fans.
