This time it was Leeds United who provided the late drama. Earlier in the game at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland had held Daniel Farke’s team to a draw, when one of the best goalkeeper blunders Illan Meslier ever made came late in stoppage time.

Struijk’s 95th-minute goal on the night may not have been entirely surprising but was no less thrilling as sealing a defeat for Sunderland that had seemed improbable for most of the evening.

Leading the way for almost 45 minutes, the Black Cats found themselves undone by Isidor’s precise low shot that concluded a strong first-half performance from the team.

78 minutes after coming off the bench Struijjk scored an equalizer, but it looked that Sunderland was going to get a point so as to stay in contention for automatic promotion.

Struijk headed in another close-range header in stoppage time, putting eight points behind the top two Regis Le Bris’ team. With thirteen matches remaining, it’s not a gap that’s insurmountable, but going down in such a heartbreakingly tied match felt like a big blow.

Having recovered from Meslier’s gaffe, Le Bris has to work at holding on to the positives from the previous night’s showing, notwithstanding the result. The Black Cats had put in a solid away showing by staying strong, resolute, and threatening on the break. Yet ultimately, it was all not enough to hold a Leeds side definitely bound for the Premier League.

Last season Mike Dodds set Sunderland up in pretty much the same match to play a very defensive kind of style and still managed to squeeze out a tie. On the other hand, Regis Le Bris was clearly going to adopt another approach, considering his selection of players had all the hallmarks of a side intending to challenge Leeds head-on.

Salis Abdul Samed was also an unused substitute as Le Bris stuck to the same starting XI and formation that had swept aside Luton Town just five days earlier, with Sunderland's intent to attack clear from kick-off.

A great sweeping through ball played this time from Dan Ballard, into Enzo Le Fee, who makes no mistake by finding Jobe Bellingham on the edge of the penalty area. Bellingham weaves his way skillfully through a cluster of defenders and tries a side-footed shot, but Meslier gets a strong left hand to it and pushes it away. It's Patrick Roberts who pounces on the rebound but Meslier, like a cat, is alert and springs to tip over the winger’s follow-up effort.

Any jitters Meslier might have had heading into the game were likely to have been settled by the double save, more so after his earlier howler at the Stadium of Light this season, and all this with Sunderland consistently threatening on the counter in the first half, despite Leeds holding most of the possession.

The host had control in the visiting Black Cats' area for much of the early going but, for all Dennis Cirkin's successful block of Dan James, and Brenden Aaronson shooting over after a long feed from Jayden Bogle headed to him, the Sunderland defence remained largely unchallenged.

It was rather the defenders of the home team who looked pressed whenever the Black Cats attacked, conceding the opener just past the half-hour mark.

The goal was all down to Isidor’s speed and strength as the striker raced into the inside-right channel to latch onto Ballard’s pass, brushed off Ethan Ampadu, and then side-stepped past the Leeds captain inside the box. His finishing was superb — he found that Meslier angle, only to steer the ball home off the far post.

In such an already fantastic season for the striker, confidence further flows throughout Isidor since his loan from Zenit St Petersburg was made a permanent transfer in the last month's transfer window. He almost made it two just before half-time, heading Roberts' cross, saved by Meslier.

Leeds aimed at continuing their unbeaten run of 14 matches in the league, and the visitors determinedly sought to consolidate after Klich had put them ahead early in the first half.

Good reflexes were shown by Anthony Patterson to pick up the driven cross from Manor Solomon as Sunderland kept their defense with utmost dedication and organization. Both Trai Hume and Cirkin were getting stuck into challenges in their full-back roles, and Neil was once again marshalling away danger in front of the Black Cats’ back four. Neil has deputized commendably in that holding midfield role this season, having grown into the position throughout the campaign.

The defensive hold continued as a frustrated Leeds side upped the ante in their second-half attack. Moments after the hour, Tanaka scuffed a shot wide, but with 20 minutes remaining, the Black Cats scuttered in rare form to advance. Roberts cut in from the right and hit a firm low attempt goalwards, brilliantly turned aside by Meslier.

Reaction from Daniel Farke was building on the touchline, but his decision to make a double substitution in the 71st minute aimed to give his team a lifeline in the game. Rothwell and Struijk were thrown into the mix, and seven minutes after they were on the field, they combined to set up an equalizing goal.

Rothwell, the originator of the play, took a free-kick from near the left touchline. He delivered into Struijk who leapt between the Sunderland defenders and planted a thumping header toward the goal. Despite Luke O'Nien's effort to clear the ball from the goal line, he unfortunately ended up scoring a goal kick.

He went on to score the game was heading for a draw but for Struijk, who netted once more in stoppage time, heading in from a cross on the right.