On Boxing Day, Blackburn Rovers drew 2-2 with Sunderland, thanks to a 90th-minute equaliser from Harry Leonard.
Yuki Ohashi’s first goal since September put Rovers in a strong position at halftime, but things changed swiftly after the interval.
Strikes by Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor turned the game on its head. Rovers stormed out of the traps and should have taken the lead before Ohashi scored when Tyrhys Dolan broke through. However, he blazed over following a superb passing team move.
Ohashi made no mistakes from close range as Callum Brittain’s cross deflected off Dolan and into his path. Other opportunities came and went, and in the end, they proved critical.
Sunderland, who had fallen behind in their previous five games but collected ten points, regained control of the game before halftime and then applied pressure afterward.
Aynsley Pears saved Isidor’s cross from the right, but Rigg was on there to scramble it in. Minutes later, a carbon copy showed Isidor back-flicking the ball into the corner after Patrick Roberts crossed from the right.
Sunderland appeared to have done enough to take the points after outplaying Rovers in the second half, but Rovers are tough at Ewood Park.
Leonard, who came off the bench, scored his first goal since October 29, 2023, in the 90th minute to tie the game. Brittain’s cross was swung over and headed down, leaving him to swivel and finish to save a point.
However, Rovers relied on their custodian to keep the game level. In stoppage time, Eliezer Mayenda had a clear shot on goal but was denied by Pears. He then produced a great save on Roberts in the dying moments to ensure the game ended 2-2.
Eustace’s team was hoping to put an end to a stunning run of bad results on Boxing Day. On December 26, they had not won at Championship level or higher in 14 years, with the one exception being a League One triumph over Rochdale.
After losing to Millwall the previous time out, two quick home games were considered as a great approach to regain winning form.
Fifth vs. fourth before kickoff made it an appealing proposition, drawing a large crowd of almost 24,000 to Ewood Park. The Rovers’ head coach made five changes to his lineup. Two of those were enforced, with Lewis Baker and Owen Beck being chosen to replace the injured Lewis Travis and Harry Pickering.
Callum Brittain, Dolan, and Ryan Hedges were also recalled, with Todd Cantwell shifting to centre to play behind Ohashi.
Rovers were looking for a third consecutive home win and exploded out of the blocks in front of a full Ewood Park. They pursued and harassed the Black Cats from the moment they heard the first whistle.
Rovers had already produced a few memorable contenders for Goal of the Season, and they nearly had another. Ohashi and Hedges exchanged passes before Dolan received the ball. His first touch was great, going through the defender’s legs, but he shot over the crossbar.
That was a warning sign for Sunderland, but they were just unable to manage Rovers. The first goal came quickly after, thanks to a stroke of luck. Callum Brittain’s cross was cleared, but it touched Dolan and bounced nicely to Ohashi, who scored his first goal since September.
More opportunities came and went. Minutes later, Ohashi went beyond the defence and passed to Hedges, but his effort was weak and easy for Anthony Patterson in the Sunderland goal.
Sunderland then surged into the game, dominating until halftime. However, Rovers’ excellent defence in their 18-yard area prevented Aynsley Pears from having to make a serious save.
Sondre Tronstad was entrusted with man-marking Rigg as a sign of respect for Sunderland’s talented players. The Black Cats had already conceded first in their last five games, but rallied back to win three and draw one, ensuring they were never out of the game at 1-0.
Dolan put the ball in the net for the second time, but he was called offside. There was some uncertainty because the ball looked to bounce off a Sunderland player, but he was flagged nevertheless.
Sunderland issued a warning at the end of the first half, but it only took a few minutes for them to equalise. They worked the overload in the wide area, with Dan Neil crossing for Isidor, who had his shot saved by Pears, but Rigg was able to follow up and score from close range.
That was the first of two rapid goals, which completely changed the game. The second was almost identical to the first, with Roberts crossing himself for Isidor to flick the ball into the far corner.
The huge attacker nearly had another shortly after, but Owen Beck cleared the ball off the line. It may not have gone in, but it certainly needed clearing, with Sunderland looking dangerous in every assault.
However, Rovers no longer go down without a fight at Ewood Park. As the clock reached 90, Brittain’s cross was headed down at the back post for Leonard to swivel and score for the first time since October of last year.
After a difficult year of injury, the Academy graduate had a wonderful moment in front of the Blackburn End. Rovers have scored the most goals in the league through replacements, and this was as important as any.
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