In the 1-1 draw between Sunderland and Leeds United in the 18th round of the 2025/26 Premier League at the Stadium of Light, one game stood out for its precision and patience and was reminiscent of the time Marcelo Bielsa With his accompanying game manual, he revolutionized the white club.
In the middle of this scene appeared Dominic Calvert Lewin, Striker in a state of grace, author of the goal that supported Leeds and confirmed their good moment.
The context did not inspire optimism among visitors. Sunderland, recently promoted but surprisingly seventh in the table, extended their unbeaten home record to nine games and showed once again why it is one of the revelations of the tournament. Leeds, on the other hand, arrived needing points to solidify their start from the red zone. The beginning was tough, with more friction than fluidity, with a few controversial actions around Joe Rodon, hit hard and with no sanction from the referee. His visibly reduced continuity was ultimately crucial for development.
After 28 minutes, Sunderland took advantage of this disruption. Granit Xhaka filtered a precise pass behind the defense and Simon AdingraHe opened the scoring with his right hand bent toward the far post. It was the first serious setback in a game that had brought little success up to that point. Rodon came out soon after and Ao Tanaka’s intervention brought a bit more balance to Leeds’ midfield, who finished the first half better and with a very clear chance: Calvert-Lewin set up Brenden Aaronson, whose shot was heroically saved on the line by Trai Hume.
The best was yet to come. Just at the start of the second half, Leeds put together a move that justified everything. Three consecutive touches, a clean start from their own goal, a movement from right to left, a change of front and a final acceleration that broke the local block. Aaronson, always clear, assisted first and Calvert-Lewin first defined: with the right, to Robin Roefs’ stick. A goal that belonged to both the striker and the team. Actually, The 11 footballers played it.
It wasn’t a bit more. With this conquest Calvert-Lewin became the first Leeds player to score in six consecutive games the highest category since John McCole in the 1959/60 season. Score eight goals in the leaguemore than any other English footballer, and is enjoying the most productive period of his career.
“I feel good, strong and have fun playing with the boys. There were years of ups and downs, but I kept going” he later summarized, knowing that his name is once again on the England team’s radar and the 2026 World Cup is on the horizon.
Leeds’ dominance in the second half was almost complete. Jayden Bogle scored the winning goal, Tanaka provided clarity and Aaronson continued to be the creative lighthouse. But Sunderland fought back, holding on to their command and the encouragement of his people, accepting the draw as a lesser evil.
The best of Sunderland vs Leeds
For the Black Cats, this point marked the end of an unforgettable 2025: Returning to the premiership after eight years and a position that makes her dream of Europe. For Leeds, the draw extended their unbeaten run to five and gave them a breath of fresh air: they are seven points above relegation and have a rediscovered attacking leader.
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