Down the years, Sunderland have had a tendency to have dramatic last-minute moments, no more so than recently. Fans have been in disbelief at what they have witnessed, but they are memories that will live with them forever.
Here we look at just five of the most dramatic late goals scored by Sunderland.
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Top Five Dramatic Late Goals Scored By Sunderland
Gordon Armstrong vs Chelsea, 1992
Struggling in the league but overperforming in the cup, it was a strange season on Wearside. A managerial change halfway through the season saw caretaker boss Malcolm Crosby guide the Black Cats on an unlikely FA Cup run.
Sunderland, in the second tier at this time, drew Chelsea away in the quarterfinals and drew the game at Stamford Bridge to set up a replay at Roker Park. A sell-out crowd saw their team take the lead, but Chelsea, managed by former Sunderland FA Cup hero Ian Porterfield, battled back to equalise. After this, the Blues were relentless and looked the likely victors, but Sunderland managed to get out of their own half late in the second half to earn a corner.
A training ground set piece found Gordon Armstrong in the 88th minute on the edge of the penalty area, he met the ball with an unstoppable header to put Sunderland back in the lead and eventually through to the semifinals. They would defeat Norwich City and then face Liverpool in the final but fell at the final hurdle.
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Ji Dong-Won vs Manchester City, 2012
In an eventful end-to-end game, both teams had chances to score but failed to take the lead. Enter Sunderland’s South Korean striker Ji with 12 minutes to go. Following a late City attack, Sunderland regained the ball with many sensing that they would settle for the draw. Not manager Martin O’Neil who urged his team forward hoping to catch the visitors on the counter-attack.
Ji received the ball on the left wing, cut inside, played a one-two with Stéphane Sessègnon, and found himself one-on-one with keeper Joe Hart. Despite appeals for offside, Ji, cooly rounded the City number one and tapped the ball into the empty net on 93 minutes to ensure a mass celebration inside the Stadium of Light.
Patrick Roberts vs Sheffield Wednesday, 2022
Sunderland were nearing the end of their fourth consecutive season in League One and everyone connected to the club were desperate to get out of it. Unable to secure automatic promotion, they had to settle for the playoffs and a semifinal against Sheffield Wednesday. The Black Cats took a one-goal lead into the second leg at Hillsborough thanks to leading scorer Ross Stewart.
Wednesday pressed hard for a goal and it finally came on 74 minutes. As the full-time whistle drew closer, it appeared that there would be an extra 30 minutes to come. However, Sunderland didn’t give up, and when Jack Clarke received the ball on the left wing on 93 minutes, he headed for the penalty area. He beat his man and drilled a ball into the box and Patrick Roberts connected with the ball to send it into the back of the net and send Sunderland into the final at Wembley.
Dan Ballard vs Coventry City, 2025
Arguably the best moment at the Stadium of Light since its opening in 1997. There are dramatic late goals scored by Sunderland and then there is this one.
Following a 2-1 victory in the away leg of the playoff semifinals, Sunderland’s task was simple: avoid defeat. When Coventry took a second-half lead, it appeared that the tie was heading not only to extra time but the dreaded lottery of a penalty shootout.
However, the Black Cats won a 121st-minute corner. It was now or never in normal play. Enzo Le Fee swung in the corner, and it was met by Dan Ballard, whose header went in off the underside of the crossbar to take the roof off the Stadium of Light and produce scenes on and off the pitch like many had never witnessed. The goal time? 121:59. One second before the final whistle.
Tommy Watson vs Sheffield United, 2025
If Dan Ballard’s goal was the greatest moment at the Stadium of Light, this one was Sunderland’s greatest at the home of football, Wembley. Yes, they have won the FA Cup twice, once against all odds; however, this one, so late in the game to confirm their return to the Premier League after all that the club had been through, means much more.
Sheffield United took a first-half lead and were the better team until VAR intervened to disallow a second. Sunderland then took advantage of a deflated United and became the dominant team. Eliezer Mayenda equalised on 76 minutes; however, another stressful extra time for the fans loomed until a misplaced pass by the Blades allowed winger Tommy Watson to run at goal.
Everyone in Wembley believed that the youngster who has now departed Sunderland for Brighton would pass the ball; however, he calmly passed the ball into the corner of the net on 95 minutes to seal victory, a Premier League return, and ensure the noise from the Sunderland fans shook Wembley like never before.
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