EPL: 10-Man Sunderland Held by Wolves as European Hopes Slip

Ballard red card costs Sunderland in Molineux draw  

Sunderland stay 12th after gritty point at relegated Wolves. Nordi Mukiele headed Sunderland in front from Granit Xhaka’s corner. Dan Ballard was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair in the 24th minute.

Santiago Bueno equalized with a header from Hugo Bueno’s corner early in the second half...

Sunderland’s push for Europe took another hit after a 1-1 draw with relegated Wolves at Molineux, leaving them with a man down and winless in four. Wolves also extended their unbeaten run against Sunderland at home to eight matches.  

After letting in nine goals in two defeats, Sunderland steadied themselves with an early lead at Molineux.  

Wolves were undone by poor set-piece defending as Nordi Mukiele met Granit Xhaka’s inswinging corner at the back post and headed home.  

The mood shifted quickly when referee Paul Tierney sent off Dan Ballard in the 24th minute. After reviewing the pitch-side monitor, he dismissed the defender for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair, Ballard’s first red card since October 2020 with Blackpool.

Sunderland held out with 10 men to reach half-time level, but conceded within 10 minutes of the restart to a header almost identical to their own opener.  

Hugo Bueno’s deep corner found Santiago Bueno, who powered a downward header in at the far post for his third Premier League goal of the campaign.  

A point did little for Sunderland’s European hopes, yet they pushed forward despite being a man down in search of a winner.

Granit Xhaka went close late on with a long-range shot that flashed just wide of Dan Bentley’s left post, in one of the final chances of the game. 

 

The points are shared between @Wolves and @SunderlandAFC 🤝 pic.twitter.com/r6vOJu10Sd

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 2, 2026

Sunderland had to settle for a draw that keeps them 12th, three points behind seventh with three matches remaining.  

Wolves snapped a three-game losing run, but Roefs’ late stop to deny Adam Armstrong’s header kept them from a first win since early March.