Régis Le Bris, who coached Illan Meslier in Lorient’s academy back in Brittany, remains a mentor to the Leeds goalkeeper. Ahead of the match, Sunderland’s manager expressed his hope to see Meslier picking the ball out of the net—something that unfortunately happened for the wrong reasons.
Meslier was left red-faced when a stoppage-time blunder gifted Sunderland a dramatic equalizer, keeping them at the top of the Championship and maintaining their unbeaten home record. In the 97th minute, Jobe Bellingham headed a free-kick into the box. Substitute Alan Browne attempted a soft chip back, a routine collection for any goalkeeper. However, Meslier misjudged the bounce, allowing the ball to slip past his hands and right leg into the net.
While the equalizer was officially recorded as a Junior Firpo own goal, Meslier, who had taken a nasty blow to the head earlier, bore the responsibility for not stopping what should have been a simple save. Leeds manager Daniel Farke remarked, “I’ve worked in professional football for 30 years, but I’ve never seen anything like that. Normally, the goalkeeper takes the ball, clears it, and the final whistle blows. I won’t say anything to Illan now; I’ll wait until the dust settles. It’s a sucker punch.”
After the match, Le Bris made a point to hug a devastated Meslier. He acknowledged the unpredictability of football, stating, “You can’t anticipate a mistake like that, but we pushed to the end and deserved the draw.” Le Bris praised Meslier, saying, “I like him as a goalkeeper—and as a boy.”
The thrilling match concluded with a crowd of 41,769 at the River Wear enjoying an exciting evening of football. Leeds’ Willy Gnonto showcased his talent with quick feet and sharp instincts, contributing to both Leeds goals and elevating the performances of teammates like Joël Piroe and Ao Tanaka.
Chris Rigg, a promising 17-year-old England youth international, drew attention from scouts across Europe with his ability to dominate midfield. He demonstrated his scoring prowess in the ninth minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Meslier saved Dennis Cirkin‘s shot.
Leeds quickly equalized, with Piroe expertly losing his marker to head in a cross from Gnonto, marking the first goal Sunderland had conceded at the Stadium of Light this season.
Farke would have been pleased with his midfield duo, Tanaka and Joe Rothwell, who effectively controlled the game against the inexperienced Sunderland pair of Rigg and Bellingham. Despite a foul by Bellingham on Piroe early in the second half, Sunderland seemed hesitant to pressure Leeds aggressively, risking a counterattack.
As the second half progressed, Sunderland’s Patrick Roberts began to find space on the right flank, leading to more offensive threats. However, they failed to track Firpo, who made a crucial run into the area. After a one-two with Gnonto, Firpo fired a left-footed shot past Patterson.
All that remained was for Meslier to unwittingly do his old mentor a favor.