Leeds United 1-1 Sunderland

Pablo Hernandez scored his ninth goal of the season in Leeds' draw with Sunderland

Sunderland squandered a second-half lead at Leeds and slipped closer to a second consecutive relegation.

Pablo Hernandez curled in a superb leveller to deny Sunderland a second away win in a row and leave the Black Cats seven points from safety.

Sunderland had gone 1-0 up with Paddy McNair's angled half-volley.

Both sides also hit the woodwork twice in an eventful game, while Leeds' Gaetano Berardi was sent off late on for a foul on Callum McManaman.

The full-back's dismissal stunted Leeds' momentum as they pushed strongly for a winning goal, and they could have been beaten but for Bailey Peacock-Farrell's save to deny McManaman a stoppage-time winner.

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Both sides went close in a goalless first half, with Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Camp pushing Ronaldo Vieira's shot onto the post and Ashley Fletcher heading against the crossbar for the visitors.

George Honeyman almost extended Sunderland's lead after McNair's opener, but the young midfielder hit the upright and Aiden McGeady's follow-up was cleared.

And, after a ninth goal of the season for Spanish midfielder Hernandez, Leeds struck the post again with a free-kick from Samu Saiz.

Sunderland will be relegated if they lose three of their five remaining matches, with their final two league games of the campaign coming against third-placed Fulham and leaders Wolves.

Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Leeds:

"We started well, which was pleasing, and we were on top. We got in some great opportunities in the first half. We looked threatening, but without really saying, 'We should have scored there.'

"It was always in the back of my mind that whatever point we made a change, we were going to have to really open the game up. With the bench that we had and the players we had available - whatever change we made, we were going to be made defensively weaker, so it was important we made ourselves better attacking-wise.

"As soon as Sunderland got the first goal, we needed to be better attacking. So we made the change, took the risk and the game really could have opened up. Then it could have gone either way."

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman said:

"A point is not enough. A point was never going to be enough for us today. We needed the three with the position we are in. The performance was more than enough, it was good.

"Normally you come to Elland Road and are happy to get a point because it is such a tough place to come. We need to win five games of football, simple as that, and we have won only six all season so we are right up against it.

"It's a big ask, a tall order, but it's not impossible. I wouldn't put money on us, but we have got to keep performing like that. Whether we run out of games, we haven't yet. We cannot throw in the towel yet."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Leeds

• 30Peacock-Farrell
• 15Dallas
• 18JanssonBooked at 90mins
• 37O'ConnorBooked at 75mins
• 28BerardiBooked at 90mins
• 23PhillipsSubstituted forRoofeat 65'minutes
• 25Vieira
• 10AlioskiBooked at 83mins
• 21SáizSubstituted forAnitaat 90+2'minutes
• 19Hernández
• 9LasoggaSubstituted forEkubanat 79'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Lonergan
• 7Roofe
• 8Anita
• 11Grot
• 42Nicell
• 45Ekuban
• 46Pearce

Sunderland

• 12Camp
• 22Love
• 23KonéBooked at 70mins
• 16O'Shea
• 36Wilson
• 6CattermoleSubstituted forLua Luaat 90+5'minutes
• 27Gooch
• 4McNair
• 26HoneymanBooked at 12minsSubstituted forEjariaat 83'minutes
• 19McGeadySubstituted forMcManamanat 89'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 9Fletcher

Substitutes

• 1Steele
• 11Lua Lua
• 13McManaman
• 21Matthews
• 29Asoro
• 35Clarke-Salter
• 53Ejaria

Referee:

Jeremy Simpson

Attendance:

30,461

Match Stats

Home TeamLeedsAway TeamSunderland

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home16

Away20

Shots on Target

Home4

Away9

Corners

Home6

Away13

Fouls

Home14

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Leeds United 1, Sunderland 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+7'

Second Half ends, Leeds United 1, Sunderland 1.

Posted at 90'+7'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.

Posted at 90'+7'

Attempt blocked. Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Donald Love with a cross.

Posted at 90'+6'

Attempt saved. Lamine Koné (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lynden Gooch with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+5'

Substitution, Sunderland. Kazenga Lua Lua replaces Lee Cattermole.

Posted at 90'+5'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Posted at 90'+5'

Attempt saved. Callum McManaman (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Donald Love.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Stuart Dallas (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+2'

Substitution, Leeds United. Vurnon Anita replaces Samuel Sáiz.

Booking

Posted at 90'+1'

Callum McManaman (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.

Booking

Posted at 90'+1'

Pontus Jansson (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card.

Dismissal

Posted at 90'

Gaetano Berardi (Leeds United) is shown the red card.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Gaetano Berardi (Leeds United).

Posted at 90'

Callum McManaman (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Sunderland. Callum McManaman replaces Aiden McGeady.

Posted at 88'

Samuel Sáiz (Leeds United) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.

Posted at 87'

Pablo Hernández (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by John O'Shea (Sunderland).

Posted at 86'

Offside, Sunderland. Donald Love tries a through ball, but Aiden McGeady is caught offside.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Pablo Hernández (Leeds United).

Posted at 86'

Ovie Ejaria (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 85'

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Lee Cattermole.

Posted at 84'

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Lee Camp.

Posted at 84'

Attempt saved. Samuel Sáiz (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Caleb Ekuban.

Posted at 84'

Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United) hits the bar with a header from very close range. Assisted by Pablo Hernández with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Sunderland. Ovie Ejaria replaces George Honeyman.

Booking

Posted at 83'

Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United).

Posted at 82'

George Honeyman (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Kemar Roofe (Leeds United).

Posted at 81'

Lamine Koné (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 80'

Attempt saved. Paddy McNair (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Aiden McGeady.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Leeds United. Caleb Ekuban replaces Pierre-Michel Lasogga.

Posted at 78'

Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Lamine Koné (Sunderland).

Posted at 78'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ezgjan Alioski.

Posted at 77'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Ashley Fletcher (Sunderland) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Lynden Gooch with a cross.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

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