Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
The Sunderland striker admitted the roar that greeted his 94th-minute equaliser against Arsenal was unlike anything he’d ever experienced
Brian Brobbey said he had “never heard anything like” the noise inside the Stadium of Light after his dramatic 94th-minute equaliser rescued a point for Sunderland against Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The striker came off the bench to convert Dan Ballard’s flick-on deep into stoppage time, extending the Black Cats’ remarkable run of late goals and once again living up to the club’s now-iconic motto. Brobbey admitted he had already been fully briefed on Sunderland’s Til The End mentality before arriving on Wearside – but Saturday night was the first time he truly felt the full force of it.
“Oh, I know about the motto here, ‘till the end!’ Everybody always pushes till the end!” he said after the game to the Premier League. “Granit said to everyone in the last 10 minutes that we need to keep pushing and we could get something.”
When the chance arrived, he was exactly where Sunderland needed him to be. “It was a good header from Dan, and I was just in the right spot,” Brobbey continued. “So many emotions – I was waiting for this goal and I finally got it, so I’m so happy. Never heard anything like that noise in my career when I scored!”
His equaliser capped a performance full of character from Régis Le Bris’ side, who not only became the first team to score against Arsenal since September but also pushed the league leaders to the brink with an aggressive and well-organised display.
Sunderland had earlier taken the lead through Ballard – the former Arsenal academy defender drilling in the opener after a strong first half from the hosts. It ended Arsenal’s run of more than 800 minutes without conceding and underlined the extent to which Sunderland have adapted to life in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s side responded after the break, with Declan Rice winning possession and Bukayo Saka squeezing a finish inside the near post. Martín Zubimendi then rattled the bar before Leandro Trossard bent a superb strike into the top corner to put Arsenal 2–1 ahead.
But if there’s one thing Sunderland have made a habit of, it’s refusing to fold. Brobbey himself had already forced David Raya into a strong save and the Black Cats kept pushing in the closing stages, driven on by a crowd that sensed another late twist. When Ballard rose to win a high ball in the final seconds, Brobbey reacted, hooked his finish home and sent the Stadium of Light into chaos.
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The goal adds to an extraordinary list. Sunderland have scored in the 92nd minute twice this season, as well as the 93rd and 96th. Brobbey’s 94th-minute strike now joins that run. In last season’s play-offs, they also found the net in the 88th, 95th and 123rd minutes.
The draw keeps Sunderland unbeaten at home and sitting fourth in the table after Saturday’s fixtures, ensuring their remarkable return to the top flight continues to gather momentum. Arsenal remain top, but left Wearside knowing they had been pushed to the limit.
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