All eyes are on Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier after committing a costly error in stoppage time that led to Sunderland drawing the match 2-2. However, there’s another player at fault whose mistake caused a domino effect.
Chris Rigg gave the home team an early lead with a goal in the ninth minute to make it 1-0, but the Whites responded quickly, leveling the score in the 22nd minute through Joël Piroe.
The teams went into halftime level at 1-1. Early in the second half, Junior Firpo found the net in the 56th minute, giving Leeds what looked like a winning edge. But in stoppage time, the game took a dramatic turn.
Meslier’s costly error allowed Sunderland to equalize. Alan Browne’s cross deflected off Firpo’s head, and as Meslier reached for the ball, it slipped through his fingers and rolled into the net, handing Sunderland a crucial point.
Should Isaac Schmidt shoulder some of the blame?
Former Leeds player Jon Newsome weighed in on the criticism aimed at Illan Meslier, suggesting that if Leeds hadn’t given away the free-kick, they wouldn’t have invited the pressure into their penalty area. He placed the blame on Isaac Schmidt for the situation.
“Nobody has spoken about the free-kick,” Newsome said on BBC Radio Leeds (h/t LeedsUnited.News). “The ball has gone from left to right, out to Isaac Schmidt and rather than putting an honest, genuine challenge in, he leans into him, pushes him and cheats a little bit.
“Gives an easy free-kick away and all of a sudden, they can deliver the ball into our box. It’s those minute little details. If there’s no foul, we win. Are we going to call Schmidt out and hang him out to dry as well?”
Daniel Farke and his team will need to regroup and come back strong after the break. They have a crucial match against promotion rivals Sheffield United at Elland Road on October 18. Leeds recently drew with Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion and lost to Burnley.
Missing out on wins against key promotion contenders could hurt them later in the season, especially with the Championship race as tight as it is. A victory over the Blades would be the ideal way to bounce back from the frustration of dropping points at the Stadium of Light.
