Roefs and Trafford keep clean sheets as Sunderland and Leeds share the points at Stadium of Light

Sunderland and Leeds played out a draw at the Stadium of Light in a Premier League match on 25 October 2026 as goalkeepers Robin Roefs and James Trafford produced late saves to deny both sides a winner.

Régis Le Bris, typically composed, appeared visibly frustrated at full-time after his bottom-placed side had arguably done enough to claim what would have been only their second league win of the season, while Daniel Farke regarded the result as a decent point for his steadily improving Leeds; the game was disrupted throughout by Storm Boelo.

Brian Brobbey, back from a hamstring injury, was prominent for Sunderland, engaging physically with Jaka Bijol and creating two first-half openings — a connection from an Enzo Le Fée cross that Trafford saved and a slightly deflected shot that required a good stop — before forcing another block when he raced onto a short back pass and Trafford kept his composure to make a leg save.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who passed a late fitness test on a bruised foot, initially had less influence than Brobbey but repeatedly sought out duels with Luke O’Nien, avoiding Nordi Mukiele and producing several moments against O’Nien; O’Nien then made a crucial, potentially goal-preventing tackle on Calvert-Lewin as the first half closed.

The second half turned tense early when an attempted clearance saw O’Nien throw out an elbow that accidentally caught Mukiele in the throat; Mukiele required lengthy treatment, could not continue and was replaced by Omar Alderete, prompting Le Bris to watch on anxiously as Alderete and Le Fée later made important interceptions to halt runs by Jayden Bogle and Ao Tanaka.

Sunderland pushed for a winner with Nilson Angulo testing Trafford with two efforts, and after the hour Brobbey was withdrawn for Timur Tutyerov as Farke freshened his attack with Noah Okafor and Anton Stach to support Calvert-Lewin where Harry Wilson and Brenden Aaronson had struggled to unsettle Le Bris’s defence; at one point Trafford scrambled a Granit Xhaka corner to safety as it nearly curved beyond him.

Roefs was called into action late after he spilled Tanaka’s shot and then dove at Calvert-Lewin’s feet; Calvert-Lewin appealed for a penalty but referee Stuart Attwell ruled against him and a video assistant referee check upheld that decision, then substitute Sean Longstaff unleashed a low 20-yard effort that Roefs turned one-handed around the post to preserve the draw.

Much now hinges on Sunderland’s visit to Coventry on Saturday.