Key Takeaways
- Dan Ballard was sent off in the first half after VAR spotted him pulling an opponent’s hair
- Nordi Mukiele gave Sunderland an early lead before Santi Bueno equalised for the hosts
- The draw damages Sunderland’s hopes of qualifying for European competitions next season
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland finished 1-1 at Molineux in a match marked by a controversial red card. The visitors took an early lead when Nordi Mukiele scored with a header, but their afternoon soon became difficult.
Defender Dan Ballard was sent off after video officials showed the referee footage of the centre-back pulling the hair of Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare. The Northern Ireland international received a straight red card, forcing Sunderland to play with ten men for most of the game.
Wolves, who are already relegated from the Premier League, used their extra player well after the break. Santi Bueno scored the equaliser with a powerful header from a corner kick taken by Hugo Bueno.
The home team pushed hard for a winner against the reduced Sunderland side. Arokodare had a clear chance to win the match in stoppage time, but his shot went over the crossbar.
The result leaves Sunderland in twelfth place, which hurts their chances of reaching European competitions next term. The Wolves fans were angry at the final whistle. They shouted at manager Rob Edwards because his team could not beat opposition with one player less.
Andre was the best player on the pitch with a rating of eight for the hosts, while Mukiele stood out for the ten-man visitors. The match attracted 29,632 spectators.